Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
The Honorable James Arciero, House Chair
The Honorable Brendan Crighton, Senate Chair
Joint Committee on Transportation
State House, Boston
Delivered electronically
Dear Chair Arciero, Chair Crighton, and Distinguished Members of the Committee,
On behalf of all 351 cities and towns that make up our great Commonwealth, we write today to offer our strong support for H. 53, An Act financing long-term improvements to municipal roads and bridges. In a time of increased uncertainty regarding federal funding, residents will now look to state and local government to provide a steady hand through targeted, reliable investments in municipal roads and bridges.
H. 53 proposes a 50% increase to the Chapter 90 program, authorization of this investment for a period of five years, support for state-level transportation initiatives, and $200 million for a culvert and small bridge program. We strongly urge the Committee to support this proposal that promises to deliver overdue bridge and culvert support alongside a historic and equitable investment in the Commonwealth’s key road and bridge program.
We are incredibly grateful to Governor Healey and the teams at the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and the Executive Office of Administration and Finance for their deep exploration of the state’s transportation needs. The Transportation Funding Task Force identified a need to invest further in the Chapter 90 program while also building supports for culverts and small bridges. The Chapter 90 Advisory Group went further to identify Chapter 90 program needs, including a recommendation to increase program investment to adjust for inflation — citing a need for at least $404.6 million per year to do so. The Advisory Group also recommended distributing new funding to adapt to contemporary life and work patterns and better support smaller communities. H. 53 moves these recommendations from planning to action.
As you know, Massachusetts roads and bridges are a critical component of our statewide transportation network, necessary for the safe and efficient transport of goods and people. Our roads, bridges, sidewalks, and paths are essential infrastructure — connecting residents and guests to the engagement that brings life — family, education, work, adventure and opportunity. Our roadways are fundamental infrastructure to ensure resilience and stability in our economy and communities.
In the more than 50 years since its inception, the Chapter 90 program has established itself as an essential funding source to support cities and towns as they maintain 30,000 miles of roads and bridges under municipal control. With tightly capped property taxes and limited ability to raise revenues at the local level, communities do not have the resources to independently bring all their roads into a state of good repair and keep them there. Our most recent biennial Chapter 90 survey estimates that at least $859 million is needed in FY25 alone to maintain local roadways. Further, as federal policy changes cause unpredictable consequences, amplifying state programs with proven success is a wise action by the Commonwealth.
Recent years’ supplemental aid to the Chapter 90 program has brought tremendous relief to cities and towns while targeting increases to our most fiscally constrained communities. H. 53 continues this targeted investment while uplifting all communities by boosting funding in the program by 50%, with the increased $100 million to be distributed based on road miles, while retaining the traditional formula for the historic $200 million baseline investment. This recipe focuses on lifting all 351 cities and towns.
As you consider this important bill, it’s important to remember the following context for many shared goals by the Legislature:
• Chapter 90 is a key program in responding to climate change: Climate change will continue to impact our daily lives and stress local roadway conditions by decreasing the lifespans of capital infrastructure and exacerbating funding needs. Increased actions to fortify our electricity grid and build out much-needed clean energy development will tremendously increase activity in public rights of way, in turn affecting our roadway construction.
• Chapter 90 is essential in promoting housing: Housing development will remain a priority to ensure that those who desire to call Massachusetts home can do so and thrive. Expansion and enhancement of roadway infrastructure is critical to meet our housing goals.
• Chapter 90 promotes roadway safety: The 2023 Strategic Highway Safety Plan, our roadmap to improved roadway safety, promotes expanding resources to municipalities. Increasing investment in the Chapter 90 program is the most efficient and effective way to enhance municipal roadway safety by enabling communities to address urgently needed projects.
In addition to the proposed enhancement of the Chapter 90 program, H. 53 proposes $200 million to support a culvert and small bridge program. Across the Commonwealth, approximately 17,000 culverts are under municipal care, with many in need of upgrades and replacements to higher resiliency standards, especially as we face increased and unpredictable precipitation patterns. The Division of Ecological Restoration estimates that at least half of small bridges and culverts across the state are undersized, deteriorating, or poorly constructed and in need of replacement.
H. 53’s investment would support upgrades of municipally owned small bridges and culverts in order to protect public safety, improve climate change resiliency, and restore ecosystem connectivity. We are deeply grateful for this proposal and encourage the Legislature’s support for this initiative.
We appreciate this opportunity to submit testimony, and we encourage the Committee to support H. 53 to amplify the Chapter 90 program, provide security to cities and towns through a multi-year authorization, and further invest in critical bridge and culvert infrastructure. If you have any questions or desire further information, please do not hesitate to have your office contact me or MMA Legislative Analyst Adrienne Núñez at anunez@mma.org at any time.
Many thanks for your thoughtful attention to this important legislation and for your dedication and support for the cities and towns of Massachusetts.
Sincerely,
Adam Chapdelaine
MMA Executive Director & CEO