House passes $200M Ch. 90 bill, adds $150M for transportation-related grants

The House today passed a Chapter 90 bond bill that would continue to level-fund the local road and bridge program at $200 million for fiscal 2024.

The House bill (H.3547) adds in a total of $150 million for six existing transportation-related grant programs.

Gov. Maura Healey got this year’s Chapter 90 bond authorization process started on Jan. 19 when she filed a two-year bill totalling $400 million, or $200 million per year.

After a March 7 hearing by the Joint Committee on Transportation, the bill was revised to authorize bonding for only one year at $200 million.

The Transportation Committee added $25 million in bond authorizations for each of the following multi-year transportation-related accounts:
• Municipal Pavement Program
• Municipal Small Bridge Program
• Complete Streets Funding Program
• Municipal grants for infrastructure focused on the enhancement of mass transit by bus
• Funding for study, design, construction or improvements that increase access to mass transit and commuter rail stations
• Grants to municipalities and regional transit authorities to support fleet electrification

The MMA, along with a number of municipal officials, testified before the Joint Committee on Transportation in support of the two-year authorization proposed by Healey, and requested an increase to at least $330 million per year, indexed to inflation.

The MMA also submitted written testimony to the Transportation Committee and to the Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets asking legislators to raise the annual authorization to at least $330 million, emphasizing community need and the impact of inflation on the Chapter 90 program, which has lost two-thirds of its purchasing power over the last 11 years.

The MMA will continue its advocacy for a Chapter 90 increase as the bill moves to the Senate.