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| 2 | 2 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2228 FILED ON: 1/17/2025 |
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| 3 | 3 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2391 |
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| 4 | 4 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 5 | 5 | | _________________ |
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| 6 | 6 | | PRESENTED BY: |
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| 7 | 7 | | Paul R. Feeney |
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| 8 | 8 | | _________________ |
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| 9 | 9 | | To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General |
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| 10 | 10 | | Court assembled: |
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| 11 | 11 | | The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill: |
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| 12 | 12 | | An Act to remediate and reopen the visitor information center on I-95 in Northern Bristol County |
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| 13 | 13 | | for traveler safety and convenience and to promote regional tourism and economic development. |
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| 14 | 14 | | _______________ |
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| 15 | 15 | | PETITION OF: |
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| 16 | 16 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Paul R. FeeneyBristol and Norfolk 1 of 2 |
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| 17 | 17 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2228 FILED ON: 1/17/2025 |
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| 18 | 18 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2391 |
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| 19 | 19 | | By Mr. Feeney, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2391) of Paul R. Feeney for |
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| 20 | 20 | | legislation to remediate and reopen the visitor information center on I-95 in Northern Bristol |
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| 21 | 21 | | County for traveler safety and convenience and to promote regional tourism and economic |
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| 22 | 22 | | development. Transportation. |
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| 23 | 23 | | [SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION |
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| 24 | 24 | | SEE SENATE, NO. 2235 OF 2023-2024.] |
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| 25 | 25 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 26 | 26 | | _______________ |
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| 27 | 27 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court |
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| 28 | 28 | | (2025-2026) |
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| 29 | 29 | | _______________ |
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| 30 | 30 | | An Act to remediate and reopen the visitor information center on I-95 in Northern Bristol County |
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| 31 | 31 | | for traveler safety and convenience and to promote regional tourism and economic development. |
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| 32 | 32 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
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| 33 | 33 | | of the same, as follows: |
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| 34 | 34 | | 1 SECTION 1. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the highway |
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| 35 | 35 | | 2division of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation shall, within 90 days of the passage |
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| 36 | 36 | | 3of this act, convene a working group of appropriate departmental staff to analyze and make |
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| 37 | 37 | | 4recommendations on the reopening of the tourist information center located on interstate |
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| 38 | 38 | | 5highway route 95 north in the town of Mansfield and converting the rest area facility to a |
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| 39 | 39 | | 6regional visitor information center for the purposes of promoting local and regional businesses |
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| 40 | 40 | | 7and tourist destinations. |
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| 41 | 41 | | 8 SECTION 2. The working group shall study, analyze and create recommendations |
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| 42 | 42 | | 9regarding: (i) removal of surplus highway material, vehicles, signage and supplies impeding the 2 of 2 |
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| 43 | 43 | | 10full use of the facility and parking lot; (ii) removal of roadway debris and litter on the site; (iii) |
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| 44 | 44 | | 11plans to redesign, rehabilitate and reconstruct the existing structure and associated funding needs |
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| 45 | 45 | | 12to achieve a state of good repair; (iv) safety improvements; (v) accessibility upgrades; (vi) |
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| 46 | 46 | | 13restroom reconstruction; (vii) a schedule of regular, routine landscaping; (viii) roadway paving; |
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| 47 | 47 | | 14(ix) installation of electric vehicle charging stations; (x) regular staffing of the facility; (xi) |
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| 48 | 48 | | 15allowable activities under 23 USC 111(a), such as commercial advertising and media displays, |
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| 49 | 49 | | 16items designed to promote tourism, tickets for events or attractions, travel-related information |
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| 50 | 50 | | 17and lottery machines; (xii) a system of measuring guests and car counts who enter and exit the |
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| 51 | 51 | | 18facility; (xiii) additional allowable uses, activities or stipulations; (xiv) a draft memorandum of |
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| 52 | 52 | | 19understanding for the purpose of contracting with the regional tourism council, chambers of |
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| 53 | 53 | | 20commerce or other entities to reopen the facility as a working visitor information center; and (xv) |
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| 54 | 54 | | 21projected costs associated with achieving a state of good repair at the facility. |
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| 55 | 55 | | 22 SECTION 3. The working group’s findings shall be filed with the clerks of the house of |
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| 56 | 56 | | 23representatives and the senate not later than June 1, 2026. |
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