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Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
House Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets
State House, Boston
Re: H. 3316, Transportation Bond Bill – Chapter 90 Local Roads Program
Dear Chairman Cabral and Members of the Committee,
On behalf of the cities and towns of the Commonwealth, the Massachusetts Municipal Association strongly urges your favorable consideration of H. 3316 as passed by the Joint Committee on Transportation, with the exception of earmarking language concerning Complete Streets, which we oppose. The bill would enable the state to issue bonds to support an urgently needed $250 million Chapter 90 allocation for fiscal 2012. The bill would increase the program above the current $155 million level.
Swift passage of this legislation is vital, because the remaining authorization for the program left over from the last transportation bond bill is only $45 million. Unless the Chapter 90 bill passes this month, the state will miss the legal April 1 deadline to notify cities and towns of their fiscal 2012 authorization. We appreciate that the committee recognizes this by considering H. 3316 as its first piece of legislation for the 2011-2012 legislative session.
By securing new authorizations as part of the House’s early legislative agenda this year, you and your colleagues will ensure that local transportation needs are met and that cities and towns are able to maintain the nearly 90 percent of the state’s road miles for which they are responsible.
The MMA greatly appreciates the commitment to timely and consistent release of Chapter 90 authorizations, evident by language included in previous bond legislation that requires an April 1 release. By releasing funding by April 1 each year, you help stretch these dollars, maximize local construction seasons and facilitate the efforts of local officials to plan projects in advance.
The state Transportation Finance Commission has projected a funding gap of $15 billion to $19 billion over the next 20 years just for maintenance of our current transportation infrastructure, not including sorely needed improvements and expansions. As part of that projection, the commission estimates a $1 billion Chapter 90 spending shortfall if needs are not met. According to MMA research, the actual annual Chapter 90 need is more than $300 million.
The MMA strongly opposes language in H. 3316 earmarking $15 million of the $250 million for Complete Streets. Earmarking Chapter 90 funds is unprecedented and would reduce the total amount of funds available to many communities. For most cities and towns, Chapter 90 is the only source of funds available to repair roadways. Earmarking and limiting these dollars for any particular use would clearly interfere with local planning, and prohibit communities from making full, efficient and effective use of the funds if other projects are higher in terms of immediate local need and priority.
Earmarking a portion of Chapter 90 for street and sidewalk lighting, bicycle storage, bicycle parking, bicycle routes, wide travel lanes or bike lanes, street trees, boulevard landscaping, street furniture, and drainage facilities would divert these funds from other projects such as basic road repaving and reconstruction, intersection improvements, core maintenance and safety steps, and other crucial needs. There are other monies that are available to assist with Complete Street development, and these funds should be accessed rather than creating a first-ever earmark to divert vital Chapter 90 dollars.
According to the Boston Globe, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts ranks last in the nation among all states in requesting federal funds for bike lanes, rail-trails, and other similar improvements and has failed to use more than $80 million in federal dollars set aside for such enhancements, drawing on only 37 percent of the grants available. The Commonwealth needs to do a better job of allocating the federal funding that is already available and should not mandate that communities spend a proportion of their Chapter 90 funding for this purpose. We ask you to strike the earmarking language.
We deeply appreciate your commitment to local transportation priorities, notably Chapter 90, in order to ensure safe and passable infrastructure and to generate high-paying jobs. We look forward to working with you and your colleagues on a strong multi-year Chapter 90 bill that sets an annual target at the full $300 million level. In the meantime, H. 3316 is urgently needed to ensure a timely increase and authorization for fiscal 2012.
Thank you very much.
Sincerely,
Geoffrey C. Beckwith
Executive Director, MMA