Committee advances bond bill with $300M for Chapter 90

The Legislature’s Joint Committee on Transportation has advanced a redrafted version of a transportation bond bill that would provide $300 million for the Chapter 90 road and bridge maintenance program for fiscal 2027.

While the committee preserved the funding level of $300 million, it shifted to a one-year authorization, rather than the $1.2 billion over four years sought by the governor in the bill she filed in late January.

The redrafted bill (H. 5279) includes the provision to distribute $100 million solely based on local road miles, rather than the traditional Chapter 90 formula.

The committee’s action follows a March 3 hearing at which an MMA panel testified in strong support of the bill, emphasizing the need for continuing the $300 million annual funding level achieved last year and the importance of a multi-year authorization. The four panelists highlighted how Chapter 90 funding enables their communities to maintain critical infrastructure, and they shared stories of the positive impacts of last year’s funding increase. They also underscored how the road-mile-based distribution benefits smaller and rural communities.

The transportation bond bill also includes:
• $200 million for transportation improvements that support expanded housing development
• $200 million for a new Parkway Resilience Improvement and Safety Modernization investment program
• $500 million for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s Bridge and Pavement Lifecycle Asset Management Programs
• $200 million for the MBTA’s Rail Reliability Program

The bill has been referred to the Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures, and State Assets.