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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 983 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2215
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Brendan P. Crighton
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act establishing a regional equity and roadway board.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Brendan P. CrightonThird Essex 1 of 3
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 983 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2215
By Mr. Crighton, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2215) of Brendan P. Crighton for
legislation to establish a regional equity and roadway board. Transportation.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 2299 OF 2021-2022.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act establishing a regional equity and roadway board.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 Section 13 of chapter 6C of the general laws, as appearing in the 2020 official edition, is
2hereby amended by inserting at the end of sub-sections (c) the following:-,
3 (iii) Financial support for traffic congestion relief and public transit initiatives and
4systems as determined by the regional equity roadway board.
5 (d) There shall be a Regional Equity Roadway Board that will develop and deploy a
6comprehensive and regionally- equitable roadway pricing policy for the Commonwealth, which
7shall include, without limitation, greater Boston metropolitan area roadways, major bridges and
8interstate highways near the commonwealth’s borders. The Board shall have the authority to
9implement their regionally – equitable road pricing plan on behalf of the department beginning
10on January 1, 2025. The Board shall consist of: the secretary of transportation or a designee; 6 2 of 3
11members, appointed by the Governor; 1 of whom shall be an expert in transportation planning
12and policy who is not an employee of the commonwealth or any political subdivision, who shall
13serve as chair, 1 of whom shall be an expert in tolling systems or toll authorities, 1 of whom shall
14be an expert in traffic congestion, 1 of whom shall represent a municipality that includes a
15highway where roadway tolls are currently in place, 1 of whom shall be a former or current
16member of the mbta fiscal and management control board, and one of whom shall be employed
17by an organization that represents low-income communities that have been historically
18underserved by transit and acutely adversely affected by the public health impacts of traffic
19congestion.
20 (e) The board shall: (i) identify and analyze physical, technological, legal and other
21issues or requirements related to roadway pricing in the commonwealth; (ii) propose detailed
22specifications and regionally-equitable locations for toll gantries and other equipment necessary
23to assess and collect tolls; (iii) advise the Massachusetts Department of Transportation on
24roadway pricing scenarios under the federal Value Pricing Pilot Program; (iv) provide estimates
25of annual operation and maintenance costs; (v) provide estimates of annual revenue; (vi) provide
26traffic forecasts including forecasts of traffic diversion impacts; (vii) provide a regional and
27social equity analysis with specific recommendations related to mitigating adverse impacts; and
28(viii) provide potential impacts on vehicular emissions reduction. The board shall also identify
29all local, state and federal approvals necessary to deploy new tolls and other roadway pricing
30mechanisms on relevant roadways.
31 (f) The board shall file a written report of its findings and recommendations annually
32before December 15 each year, including legislative recommendations, with the clerks of the
33senate and house of representatives, the house and senate committees on ways and means and the 3 of 3
34joint committee on transportation. The report shall include, but not be limited to, an analysis of
35mitigation measures to address social equity issues including, but not limited to, social equity
36issues for communities underserved by the current transportation system and most directly
37impacted by congestion.