Massachusetts filed a proposal Friday that seeks $18 billion in additional funding for existing transportation programs and for new initiatives designed to lessen the impact of roadway congestion and ensure reliable travel.
“This bond bill reflects our ongoing commitment to increasing the capability of MassDOT (Massachusetts Department of Transportation) and the MBTA (Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority) to carry out construction projects to ensure that residents throughout the Commonwealth have access to safe and reliable travel options,” Gov. Charlie Baker said. “Millions of people rely on Massachusetts’s roadways and transit systems to get to work every day, and we look forward to working with our colleagues in the Legislature to pass this transportation bond bill into law.”
The bill, An Act Authorizing and Accelerating Transportation Investment, includes nearly $5.7 billion to continue modernizing the MBTA, $70 million for the Municipal Small Bridge Program, $150 million to improve pavement on state roads, and $20 million to ensure municipalities have resources to continue to build infrastructure that encourages residents to travel more on foot or by bicycle.
The proposal also authorizes $1.25 billion in grant anticipation notes to support an expanded bridge program and reauthorizes and expands the Rail Enhancement Program to support $2.7 billion in MBTA investments over the next decade.