BOSTON - Gov. Deval Patrick today filed a three-year, $2.9 billion transportation bond bill, pledging to make significant improvements to the Commonwealth’s long-neglected network of roads, bridges, and mass transit. The state's investment in transportation projects is expected to leverage additional federal funds for a total investment of $4.8 billion and will encourage economic development, including the creation of an estimated 10,000 construction jobs across the Commonwealth.
The multi-year legislation will allow the Patrick administration to begin making much-needed transportation infrastructure improvements while it works to implement major transportation reform. The state has chronically underinvested in transportation capital projects. A report released in March 2007 by the Massachusetts Transportation Finance Commission (TFC) noted that the cost to maintain our current surface transportation system and to make certain other required improvements exceeds our anticipated available resources by $15 billion to $19 billion over the next 20 years.
"The Commonwealth needs a transportation system that improves our quality of life and serves as a catalyst for economic growth," Patrick said. "Inadequate investment in our roads, bridges and public transit system over time has compromised those goals. This legislation will allow us to address many of our most pressing transportation needs while we work towards long-term transportation reform."
The legislation assists cities and towns with their infrastructure needs, authorizing $500 million to fund Chapter 90 grants for improvements to local roads and bridges and $50 million for public works grants (PWED) to cities and towns to support economic development. The bill also includes $15 million for transportation-related grants to communities with small populations, known as "STRAP" grants. In addition, the STRAP program will now be available to communities with populations of 7,000 or less, up from the currently eligibility requirement of 3,500 or less, extending the grant opportunity to an additional 53 municipalities.
Consistent with the administration's goal of improving economic development opportunities in every region of the Commonwealth, the legislation includes $25 million for investments in regional transit authorities, mobility assistance programs, intermodal transportation improvements and water transportation and $40 million for improvements at regional airports.
The TFC report also concluded that more than a quarter of state-owned roads have only a "poor" or "fair" pavement condition. Additionally, the Federal Highway Administration's 2005 highway statistics show that Massachusetts ranks 35th in the nation in percentage of interstate roads in "good" or "excellent" condition, while the National Bridge Inventory shows that our percentage of structurally deficient and functionally obsolete bridges is twice the national average and the third highest in the nation.
To begin addressing these problems, the bill includes a $1.3 billion authorization to fund improvements to roads and bridges under the statewide road and bridge program, which will allow the Commonwealth to better maintain its existing infrastructure and reduce the funding gap identified by the TFC. The authorization is expected to leverage federal funding that will result in $3.2 billion of total investments in our roads and bridges.
"The Massachusetts transportation system suffers from a history of deferred maintenance which will require nearly $20 billion in capital investments. This bond bill will allow us to begin to address that need," said Transportation and Public Works Secretary Bernard Cohen. "In addition to this bill, we are developing a transportation reform package that will provide better coordination among transportation agencies and ensure our resources are utilized as efficiently and effectively as possible."
While the administration's bond bill begins the process of improving funding for transportation throughout Massachusetts, real structural reform is needed to fully address the challenges the Commonwealth faces. The Governor has engaged independent consultants and has been working with legislators, existing transportation agencies and other stakeholders to develop a proposal for the broad reform needed to adequately address the needs of our transportation system. Meanwhile, the Governor is committed to identifying cost savings and efficiencies in transportation and eliminating the duplication now prevalent in the system.
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Lanesborough Town Meeting to Vote Budget, Bylaws & Vehicle Purchases
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Tuesday's annual town meeting includes a $14 million operating budget, new short-term rentals, accessory dwelling units and sign bylaws, and free cash article appropriations.
Voters will gather at Lanesborough Elementary School on June 9 at 6 p.m. to decide on 20 warrant articles.
The fiscal 2027 budget is up a little over 10 percent. Some of the main increases are the Mount Greylock Regional School District and McCann Technical School: the McCann assessment is up more than 30 percent based on factors including enrollment and the school renovation project, and Mount Greylock's is up 11 percent.
Article 11 is for the town to vote to approve from free cash the sum of $16,298.48 for the McCann Technical School roof and window replacement project so as not to impact the budget. Article 3 is appropriate $7,586,284 for Mount Greylock Regional School assessment.
Another notable increase was in life and health insurance, showing an increase of about 26 percent.
Ambulance Director Jen Weber is planning 24-hour coverage, which means more staff and a hike in her budget. One of the articles asks the town to appropriate $234,100 to operate the Ambulance Enterprise Fund for salaries and expenses.
Many town departments are looking for new vehicles. The Fire Department is looking to replace its outdated 1996 fire engine. There are two articles related to the truck at a total of $813,366. Article 12 would transfer $225,000 from free cash into the Fire Truck Stabilization Fund; Article 13 would transfer $605,000 from the fund and authorize the borrowing of $208,366.08.
The total includes a $100,000 contingency cost to cover any additional costs if a 2026 model-year chassis cannot be secured before new emissions standards go into effect in 2027.
The board at its last meeting moved the $225,000 transfer to come before the borrowing article, changing the stabilization number. If the $225,000 is not voted on, then they will amend the next article's number on the floor, subtracting the $225,000. This shows the borrowing number significantly lower.
Article 17 asks for the transfer of $80,000 from free cash to replace a police cruiser.
Police Chief Rob Derksen's aim is to replace one vehicle every other year, meaning the oldest vehicle gets replaced about every 10 years.
He stressed that if delayed this year, the town may have to double up in a future year to get back on schedule, and that paying later usually costs more. The article will ask for $80,000 from free cash, the vehicles used to be funded by the BHRD.
Lastly, the Highway Department is looking to replace a 2014 International dump truck that will be a total of $330,000 and will take two to three years to receive.
Money will be used from last year's approval of $250,000 from free cash for the replacement of a 2012 highway front-end loader that was underspent $49,261. Town meeting is being asked to approve a transfer of $53,274.85 from free cash and the use of $227,464 from funds from the Sale of Town Real Estate to fund the balance.
Other free cash proposals include $1,200 to purchase software to support tracking and ongoing maintenance schedules of town-owned vehicles; $42,000 for the replacement of the Highway Department's storage shed roof, $200,000 to reduce the tax levy.
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