Governor signs $200M Ch. 90 local roads bill

One day after he received the bill from the Legislature, the governor yesterday afternoon signed a one-year, $200 million bond bill to fund the Chapter 90 local road and bridge program for the current construction year.
 
The MMA had been urging quick action on a Chapter 90 bond authorization so that cities and towns can make full use of the construction season and avoid costly delays.
 
The governor had included a $200 million Chapter 90 proposal as part of a larger transportation bill that he filed on Feb. 12, but the Legislature pulled out the Chapter 90 portion as a separate bill. The $200 million recommendation falls short of the $300 million in spending authorized last year.
 
The MMA has been asking the governor and Legislature to provide at least $300 million for the Chapter 90 reimbursement program, arguing that investing more would ultimately save taxpayers money. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, once a local road is in a state of good repair, every dollar invested to keep it properly maintained saves $6 to $10 in repair costs that would become necessary to rebuild the road if it failed due to lack of maintenance.
 
The governor’s transportation bill included an authorization of $50 million over five years for a municipal small bridges program. The municipal bridge program portion of the bill filed by Gov. Charlie Baker is not included in the Chapter 90 bill, but had a public hearing before the House Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets Committee on March 31. The MMA expressed strong support for the program.

Chapter 90 reimburses cities and towns for costs incurred for eligible transportation projects. Cities and towns must submit receipts to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation Highway Division district in which they are located, which verifies that the expenditures qualify for reimbursement under Chapter 90.

• Link to MassDOT website for more information about the Chapter 90 program