AASHTO Journal - MassDOT Issues Local Bridge, Road Maintenance Funds

In early May, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey (D) signed legislation to authorize $200 million in fiscal year 2025 funding to support bridge and road maintenance and other municipal infrastructure projects statewide under the Chapter 90 program. Additionally, that legislation provides an extra $175 million to fund six state-level transportation infrastructure grant programs.

[Above photo by MassDOT]

The funding will facilitate longstanding and newly identified projects and improvements, including bridge repairs and reconstruction; roadway, bike path, sidewalk, and curbing construction; accessibility improvements; milling and paving; and lighting and traffic signal improvements.

The Chapter 90 program provides municipalities with an annual funding source for improvements to and investments in local transportation networks, noted the governor’s office, with every municipality in the state allocated a portion of total program dollars. That allows them to evaluate their unique transportation needs and goals and allocate funding dollars accordingly, the governor said.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation – which administers Chapter 90 funding – said that fiscal support will also help cities and towns statewide compete for new federal grant opportunities under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or IIJA, as proof of available matching funds is generally required as a condition of applying for such grants.

“We know that residents’ quality of life and our state’s economic strength depends on people being able to get where they need to go safely and on time,” said Gov. Healey said in a statement. “These Chapter 90 funds and millions more for six grant programs will help us deliver on critical road, bridge and infrastructure projects that communities and the traveling public need. We’re proud to sign this bill into law today and grateful to the Legislature for their partnership.”

“MassDOT is pleased to play the role of administrator of the Chapter 90 Program and to support transportation infrastructure needs state-wide with funds available through six grant programs because we have seen the on-the-ground impact the funding can have in our cities and towns,” said Monica Tibbits-Nutt, MassDOT secretary and CEO. “From adding to sidewalks, improving pavement condition, building bicycle lanes, and numerous other projects, municipal leaders use Chapter 90 and grant awards to invest in their transportation networks.”

The six state-level transportation grant programs that will share in the additional $175 million Chapter 90 funds – with each program receiving $25 million – are:

The Municipal Small Bridge Program, which provides financial assistance to cities and towns for small bridge replacement, preservation, and rehabilitation projects. To be eligible, bridges must be on a local public way and must be on the State Bridge Inventory with a span between 10 and 20 feet.
The Rural Roadway Funding Program, which distributes funds to all 351 municipalities using a formula based on local road mileage, municipal population, and rurality.
The Complete Streets Funding Program, which provides funding for municipalities to build infrastructure for “complete streets” projects that support travel for everyone whether they walk, bicycle, take public transportation, or drive.
The Municipal Bus Enhancement Program, which provides grant funding to build out infrastructure related to mass transit by bus.
The Mass Transit Access Grant Program, which provides grants for design and construction improvements to access commuter rail stations or other mass transit stations, such as parking lots, drop-off and pick-up zones, bicycle storage infrastructure, and electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
The Municipal/Regional Transit Authority (RTA) Electric Vehicle Grant Program, which provides grants to RTAs and municipalities for the purchase of EVs and related charging equipment.