Up-front payments made for balance of FY24 supplemental road funding

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation is making up-front payments to municipalities for any unspent fiscal 2024 “Fair Share” supplemental funding for local transportation projects.

The $100 million in supplemental funding was included in the fiscal 2024 state budget signed last summer, and is funded by the Fair Share Amendment. MassDOT sent apportionment notifications to municipalities last December.

MassDOT said any unspent fiscal 2024 Fair Share funds will be directly paid to municipalities through up-front payments to their accounts by June 30.

These funds were distributed through two distinct formulas:
• The initial $50 million follows the traditional Chapter 90 formula, considering local road mileage (58.33%), population (20.83%), and employment (20.83%).
• The other $50 million is allocated based on each municipality’s share of road mileage.

Each community received a total amount determined by these two formulas. This apportionment was automatically incorporated into a municipality’s existing Chapter 90 contract with MassDOT with no further action required by the municipality.

Funds must be spent in accordance with the Chapter 90 program, but the funds are now provided up-front.

With the provision of funds up-front, MassDOT requires each municipality to submit a project report form each time funds are spent. The Fair Share Funds Municipal Reporting Form is available online, as well as on the web page listing fiscal 2024 Fair Share amounts by municipality.

In lieu of requesting reimbursement, municipalities are required to submit the report form detailing fund usage within 30 days of the expenditure of any Fair Share funding. Each project requires its own form.