Bonding Committee amends MassTRAC bill

The Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets has amended Gov. Charlie Baker’s $9.7 billion transportation bond bill, known as MassTRAC, and referred it on June 13 to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

The committee’s amendments would:
• Require that not less than 33% of funding for Complete Streets grants be awarded to municipalities with a median household income below the state average
• Allow funding allocated to the MBTA to be used to electrify the commuter rail and water transportation infrastructure
• Pending appropriation, create a Dorchester Bay Transportation and Resiliency Commission and South Boston Waterfront Transportation Safety and Improvement Commission to study the transportation, resiliency, infrastructure and multimodal needs of the regional corridor of Morrissey Boulevard and the South Boston Waterfront

The MMA submitted written testimony in support of MassTRAC to the Transportation Committee for its hearing on April 12, and testified in support of the bill at a June 1 hearing with the Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets.

The MMA supports the intent of the bill — to ensure that Massachusetts is well-positioned to access the historic federal investments available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law — as well as the proposed investment of $55 million for municipal grant programs, including Complete Streets, and $85 million for non-federally funded roads.

The bill, filed by the governor on March 17, would invest in existing state programs and make authorizations for required state matches to compete for and capitalize on investment opportunities provided by the $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The BIL provides discretionary funding through formula-based allocations and more than $110 billion in competitive grants to be overseen by the U.S. Department of Transportation and dispersed over five years.

MassTRAC includes:
• $2.85 billion in BIL-related authorizations for formula-based funding
• $3.55 billion in BIL-related authorizations for discretionary grants
• $3.3 billion in non-BIL authorizations for capital investment programs

The administration says the spending would be used to modernize the state’s transportation system, with a focus on transportation network improvements and infrastructure geared toward climate change mitigation, resiliency, equity and safety for all users, particularly cyclists and pedestrians. Investments would include improvements to non-interstate highways; funding for several municipal grant programs, including Complete Streets, the Municipal Small Bridge Program, the Municipal Pavement Program, and Shared Streets and Spaces; modernization of the MBTA; support for regional transit authorities; grants for electric vehicle charging infrastructure; and funding for transportation management associations.

The bill has not yet come before the full House or Senate for a vote, but is expected to be taken up before the end of the current legislative session on July 31.