Legislature sends transportation bond bill to governor

A transportation bond bill that includes $200 million for the Chapter 90 local road and bridge program for fiscal 2025 and $175 million for specified additional infrastructure programs has been sent to the governor for her signature.

The House and Senate passed identical bills early in April, but needed to enact the bill with roll call votes because it authorizes borrowing. Those votes happened yesterday in the House and today in the Senate.

The governor is expected to sign the bill and file a companion bond terms bill, which must go through the legislative process before funding can be made available to communities.

In addition to funding for the Chapter 90 reimbursement program, the $375 million bond bill includes $25 million for a supplemental road maintenance program favoring rural communities, and $150 million for the following six existing transportation-related programs:
• Municipal Pavement Program
• Municipal Small Bridge Program
• Complete Streets
• Municipal Bus Enhancement Program
• Mass Transit Access grant program
• Municipal/RTA Electric Vehicle Fleets program

The bill introduces a formula to guide the disbursement of the rural road-focused funding for fiscal 2025, recommending that the distribution be weighted 20% on local road mileage, 20% on population, and 60% on whether the municipality is considered rural.

Last year’s transportation bond act created the new Rural Roadway Funding Program, which has recently been apportioned for fiscal 2024.