Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H53 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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1	1	1 of 2
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4323 FILED ON: 1/24/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No.
4	4	OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
5	5	COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
6	6	STATE HOUSE · BOSTON, MA 02133
7	7	(617) 725-4000
8	8	MAURA T. HEALEY
9	9	GOVERNOR
10	10	KIMBERLEY DRISCOLL
11	11	LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
12	12	January 24, 2025
13	13	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives,
14	14	I am filing for your consideration a bill entitled “An Act Financing Long-Term Improvements to
15	15	Municipal Roads and Bridges.”
16	16	As part of our administration’s plan to stabilize and enhance our state’s transportation
17	17	infrastructure, this bill authorizes the Commonwealth to borrow $1.5 billion to fund improvements to
18	18	municipally-owned roads and bridges through the Chapter 90 program over the next five years. This bill
19	19	also authorizes $885 million of capital funding for a number of critical transportation infrastructure
20	20	investments to ease congestion, address needs associated with climate change adaptation and resilience
21	21	and fix more of the state’s aging roads and bridges.
22	22	The Chapter 90 local roadways program has provided vital funding for all 351 cities and towns
23	23	since 1973. These state resources have enabled our municipal partners to improve pavement quality,
24	24	build sidewalks, and fund bike and pedestrian infrastructure. However, Chapter 90 funding has not kept
25	25	pace with challenges faced by our municipalities, such as inflation, rising construction costs, and the
26	26	impacts of climate change. That is why, this past year, I directed MassDOT and the Executive Office for
27	27	Administrative and Finance to convene an Advisory Group of local officials to assess program
28	28	challenges and potential solutions. This bill reflects the following recommendations from the Advisory
29	29	Group:
30	30	Increase program funding to address local needs. This bill will enable the provision of
31	31	$300 million in annual Chapter 90 funds -- 50 percent higher than the core $200 million
32	32	provided in recent years, recognizing the impact of construction inflation in recent years,
33	33	which has particularly eroded the buying power of smaller and rural communities that
34	34	need extra support to complete road projects. 2 of 2
35	35	Enact a multi-year authorization that enables effective capital planning and more
36	36	timely deployment of funds. The five-year authorization proposed in this bill provides
37	37	certainty to cities and towns, reduces delays in committing resources, and supports long-
38	38	term capital planning and strategic investment in municipal transportation infrastructure.
39	39	Update the funding formula to ensure greater aid to all municipalities, with
40	40	enhanced support to small and rural communities. The new $100 million in annual
41	41	funds unlocked by this proposal will be distributed solely on a road mileage basis. This
42	42	increased funding guarantees every community will benefit while being particularly
43	43	helpful for small and rural communities.
44	44	Additionally, authorizations in this bill will:
45	45	Improve pavement and bridge conditions across the state. This bill will authorize an
46	46	additional $500 million for MassDOT’s road and bridge lifecycle asset management
47	47	program to address the condition of pavement and bridges statewide.
48	48	Replace and upgrade vulnerable culverts and small bridges. This bill will enable
49	49	$200 million of additional investments in culverts and small bridges, to replace
50	50	undersized and deteriorating infrastructure with more resilient replacements, enhancing
51	51	climate change preparedness and reducing the backlog of deferred maintenance for state
52	52	and local government.
53	53	Ease congestion and address safety. This bill will provide $185 million of new capital
54	54	resources for MassDOT to take action on safety and congestion hotspots statewide,
55	55	improving conditions for drivers, pedestrians, transit riders, and bicyclists, in critical
56	56	areas such as rail crossings, intersections, near schools, commercial districts, and
57	57	residential areas, wherever attention is most needed.
58	58	The investments in this bill are informed by the recommendations of the Transportation Funding
59	59	Task Force and reflect our administration’s House 1 budget proposal to leverage Fair Share surtax
60	60	through the Commonwealth Transportation Fund to stabilize and enhance the state’s transportation
61	61	infrastructure -- a proven strategy for maximizing the impact of this revenue source.
62	62	These authorizations will enable municipalities and MassDOT to continue to plan effectively for
63	63	and deliver capital projects. I urge you to enact this legislation promptly.
64	64	Respectfully submitted,
65	65
66	66	Maura T. Healey,
67	67	Governor 1 of 5
68	68	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No.
69	69	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
70	70	_______________
71	71	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
72	72	(2025-2026)
73	73	_______________
74	74	An Act financing long-term improvements to municipal roads and bridges.
75	75	Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to
76	76	finance improvements to the commonwealth’s transportation system, therefore it is hereby
77	77	declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public
78	78	convenience.
79	79	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
80	80	of the same, as follows:
81	81	1 SECTION 1.  To provide for a program of transportation development and improvements,
82	82	2the sums set forth in sections 2 and 2A for the several purposes, and subject to the conditions
83	83	3specified in this act, are hereby made available, subject to the laws regulating the disbursement
84	84	4of public funds. The sums made available in this act shall be in addition to any amounts
85	85	5previously appropriated or made available for these purposes.
86	86	6 SECTION 2.
87	87	7 MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
88	88	8 Highway Division
89	89	9 6122-2627 For the construction and reconstruction of municipal ways as described in
90	90	10clause (b) of the second paragraph of section 4 of chapter 6C of the General Laws; provided, that 2 of 5
91	91	11a city or town shall comply with the procedures established by the Massachusetts Department of
92	92	12Transportation; provided further, that a city or town may expend, without further appropriation,
93	93	13for these projects amounts not in excess of the amount provided to the city or town under this
94	94	14item upon preliminary notice of such amount, which shall be provided by the department to the
95	95	15city or town not later than March 1 of each year; and provided further, that the commonwealth
96	96	16shall reimburse funds to a city or town under this item, subject to the availability of funds as
97	97	17provided in section 9G of chapter 29 of the General Laws, within 30 days after receipt by the
98	98	18department of a request for reimbursement from the city or town; provided further, that the
99	99	19department shall expend up to $500,000,000 for construction and reconstruction of municipal
100	100	20ways which shall be allocated to municipalities based on local road mileage under procedures
101	101	21established by the department; provided further, that the department shall encourage long-term
102	102	22capital plans to be developed by a city or town describing how they will use this funding; and
103	103	23provided further, that the city or town shall provide to the department its certification by the city
104	104	24or town that actual expenses have been incurred on projects eligible for funding under this item
105	105	25and that the work has been completed to the satisfaction of the city or town according to the
106	106	26specifications of the project plan, and in compliance with applicable laws and procedures
107	107	27established by the department..................................................... $1,500,000,000
108	108	28 SECTION 2A.
109	109	29 MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
110	110	30 Highway Division
111	111	31 6121-2617 For the bridge and pavement lifecycle asset management program, including
112	112	32but not limited to design, construction and repair of, or improvements to, non-federally aided 3 of 5
113	113	33roadway and bridge projects and for the nonparticipating portion of federally-aided projects, and
114	114	34for the construction, reconstruction, resurfacing, repair and improvement of pavement and
115	115	35surface conditions on non-federally aided roadways, including, but not limited to, state numbered
116	116	36routes and municipal roadways; provided, that expenditures from this item may include the costs
117	117	37of engineering, design, permitting, climate change adaptation and resilience and other services
118	118	38essential to projects under this item; provided further, that funds may be expended from this item
119	119	39for matching grants to municipalities related to repair of surface conditions on paved and
120	120	40unpaved public ways; provided further, that the department may use these funds for improving
121	121	41the condition of bicycle and pedestrian accommodations related to such roadway, bridge,
122	122	42pavement and resurfacing projects; and provided further, that the department shall consider
123	123	43lifecycle asset management and resilient design with respect to projects under this
124	124	44item..................................................... $500,000,000
125	125	45 6121-2627 For a program of culvert and small bridge modernization, reconstruction,
126	126	46removal, repair, replacement, and resilience improvements to culverts and small bridges with a
127	127	47span of 20 feet or less under procedures established by the Massachusetts Department of
128	128	48Transportation in consultation with the secretary of energy and environmental affairs; provided,
129	129	49that expenditures from this item may include the costs of engineering, design, permitting, climate
130	130	50change adaptation and resilience and other services essential to projects under this item; and
131	131	51provided further, that funds may be expended from this item for matching grants to
132	132	52municipalities for municipally-owned small bridges and
133	133	53culverts..................................................... $200,000,000
134	134	54 6121-2637 For a program of transportation capital projects to ease congestion and
135	135	55improve safety in Massachusetts; provided, that expenditures from this item may include 4 of 5
136	136	56intersection improvements, rail grade crossings, bicycle infrastructure and shared use paths,
137	137	57pedestrian walkways and improvements, accessibility improvements, traffic signals and
138	138	58technology, ADA compliant sidewalks and crossings, roadway reconstruction and repairs and
139	139	59other capital investments to alleviate road congestion and improve road, walking, biking
140	140	60conditions throughout Massachusetts..................................................... $185,000,000
141	141	61 SECTION 3.  To meet the expenditures necessary in carrying out section 2, the state
142	142	62treasurer shall, upon request of the governor, issue and sell bonds of the commonwealth in an
143	143	63amount to be specified by the governor from time to time but not exceeding, in the aggregate,
144	144	64$1,500,000,000. All bonds issued by the commonwealth as aforesaid shall be designated on their
145	145	65face, Commonwealth Transportation Improvement Act of 2025, and shall be issued for a
146	146	66maximum term of years, not exceeding 30 years, as the governor may recommend to the general
147	147	67court under section 3 of Article LXII of the Amendments to the Constitution. All such bonds
148	148	68shall be payable not later than June 30, 2065, pursuant to said section 3 of said Article LXII. All
149	149	69interest and payments on account of principal on these obligations shall be payable from the
150	150	70General Fund or the Commonwealth Transportation Fund.
151	151	71 SECTION 4.  To meet the expenditures necessary in carrying out section 2A, the state
152	152	72treasurer shall, upon request of the governor, issue and sell bonds of the commonwealth in an
153	153	73amount to be specified by the governor from time to time but not exceeding, in the aggregate,
154	154	74$885,000,000. All bonds issued by the commonwealth as aforesaid shall be designated on their
155	155	75face, Commonwealth Transportation Improvement Act of 2025, and shall be issued for a
156	156	76maximum term of years, not exceeding 30 years, as the governor may recommend to the general
157	157	77court under section 3 of Article LXII of the Amendments to the Constitution. All such bonds
158	158	78shall be payable not later than June 30, 2065, pursuant to said section 3 of said Article LXII. All 5 of 5
159	159	79interest and payments on account of principal on these obligations shall be payable from the
160	160	80General Fund or the Commonwealth Transportation Fund.
161	161	81 SECTION 5.  Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, bonds and
162	162	82interest thereon issued under sections 2 and 2A shall be general obligations of the
163	163	83commonwealth; provided, however, that any bonds issued by the state treasurer under said
164	164	84sections, shall, upon the request of the governor, be issued as special obligation bonds pursuant
165	165	85to section 2O of chapter 29 of the General Laws; provided further, that in deciding whether to
166	166	86request the issuance of particular bonds as special obligations, the governor shall take into
167	167	87account: (i) generally prevailing financial market conditions; (ii) the impact of each approach on
168	168	88the overall capital financing plans and needs of the commonwealth; (iii) any ratings assigned to
169	169	89outstanding bonds of the commonwealth and any ratings expected to be assigned by any
170	170	90nationally-recognized credit rating agency to the bonds proposed to be issued; and (iv) any
171	171	91applicable provisions of a trust agreement or credit enhancement agreement entered into pursuant
172	172	92to said section 2O of said chapter 29. All interest and payments on account of obligations issued
173	173	93under this section as special obligation bonds pursuant to said section 2O of said chapter 29 shall
174	174	94be payable from the Commonwealth Transportation Fund, established in section 2ZZZ of said
175	175	95chapter 29, solely in accordance with said section 2O of said chapter 29, and such bonds shall
176	176	96not be included in the computation of outstanding bonds for purposes of the limit imposed by the
177	177	97second paragraph of section 60A of said chapter 29, nor shall debt service with respect to such
178	178	98bonds be included in the computation of the limit imposed by section 60B of said chapter 29.