Mass Legislature Passes $11.3 Billion Transportation & Infrastructure Bill

In full transparency, the following is a press release from the Senate President’s office submitted to SOURCE media. (Petroni Media Company photo)

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BOSTON _ The Legislature’s final version of the transportation bond bill, which was released from conference committee on Saturday, was enacted by both the House and Senate on Sunday, July 31.

It authorizes over $11.3 billion for transportation and infrastructure projects, including $400 million for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) to address ongoing safety concerns identified by the Federal Transit Administration’s Safety Management Inspection and $275 million for the East-West passenger rail project.

This legislation now heads to the Governor for further consideration.

“Not only does this bill fund much-needed transportation repairs for all modes and communities, but it also goes much further to invest in infrastructure that is more modern, environmentally sustainable, and regionally equitable,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “The support for electric vehicles, regional transportation authorities, MBTA safety investments, low-income fares on public transit, expanded East-West connectivity, and many other initiatives in this bill will benefit residents, visitors and businesses throughout Massachusetts. I want to thank Senator Crighton for quickly and adeptly taking on the role of Transportation Chair and for collaborating with Senators Rodrigues and Collins as well as so many Senators to produce this comprehensive legislation.”

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“I’m incredibly proud of the work done by the Legislature to ensure that several of the Commonwealth’s most vital transportation infrastructure projects are sufficiently funded,” said House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano (D-Quincy). “As the MBTA continues to address ongoing safety concerns, and as the East-West passenger rail project begins, this package demonstrates the Legislature’s commitment to investing in these meaningful efforts, and to continuing support for other improvements to roads and bridges across Massachusetts. I want to thank Chairman Straus and the conferees, my colleagues in the House, as well as Senate President Spilka and our partners in the Senate, for the hard work that ultimately facilitated the passage of this legislation.”

“This transportation bond bill provides Massachusetts with the key to unlock once-in-a-generation federal funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” said Senator Brendan Crighton (D-Lynn), the Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Transportation. “With these combined state and federal investments, we will be able to complete vital work on our highways, roads, bridges, and public transportation systems, improving mobility for all residents of the Commonwealth.”

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“With the acceptance of the conference report, the House once again affirmed its dedication to meeting the transportation and infrastructure needs of the commonwealth,” said Representative William M. Straus (D-Mattapoisett), House Chair of the Joint Committee on Transportation. “This generational opportunity provides needed investments toward a more unified and resilient transportation system.”

Other highlights of the bill include:

• $3,500,000,000 for projects funded with discretionary federal grant funds, including funds from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
• $2,812,457,157 for projects on the interstate and non-interstate federal highway system
• $1,375,000,000 for sustainable transit system modernization and rail improvements
• $1,270,000,000 for non-federally aided roadway and bridge projects and for the non-participating portion of federally aided projects
• $145,000,000 for multi-modal transportation planning and programming
• $114,100,000 for the Airport Improvement Program
• $85,000,000 for pavement and surface conditions on non-federally aided roadways

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• $82,000,000 for rail improvements
• $64,900,000 for projects of regional transit networks and facilities
• $25,501,000 for the Mobility Assistance Program
• $25,000,000 for pavement and surface conditions on municipal roadways
• $25,000,000 for grants to Transportation Management Associations
• $20,000,000 for grants to municipalities under the Complete Streets Funding Program
• $10,000,000 for a public realm improvement program

To promote the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), the bill also includes $175 million for the development and implementation of programs to promote, establish or expand public electric vehicle charging infrastructure, the development and implementation of incentive programs promoting e-bikes and public transportation, replacement of high-emissions vehicles, electric vehicles for hire and carsharing, electric school buses, electric short-haul freight and delivery trucks, and for other pilot projects that focus on equity and inclusion while reducing emissions.

“This legislation is a significant commitment to meeting our Commonwealth’s most pressing transportation and climate challenges,” said Senator Nick Collins (D-Boston), Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets. “Most importantly, it does so while demonstrating that through smart fiscal policy, we can invest in our future while continuing to make Massachusetts a good place to do business. I would like to thank Senate President Spilka for appointing me to the conference committee and thank my colleagues who came together to produce this important compromise.”

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“I am grateful to the Speaker for his leadership on this critical legislation which will fund generational change for our Commonwealth’s roads, bridges and transit infrastructure,” said Representative Danielle W. Gregoire (D-Marlborough), House Chair of the Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets. “Having played a role in this process since President Biden’s announcement of the Build Back Better plan, I am confident that the concerns of all of our colleagues and their constituents are being addressed in this unprecedented bond authorization”.

The bill makes significant reforms to address the severe safety concerns around the MBTA. The bill mandates the MBTA to establish and maintain a three-year safety improvement plan with measurable safety objectives for the agency, and it directs the MBTA to contract with an independent third-party auditor to conduct annual safety audits. To ensure transparency around the MBTA’s safety, the bill directs the MBTA to submit a monthly, publicly available report containing all the incidents, accidents, casualties, and hazards affecting any of its modes of transit. In addition, the MBTA is required to develop and implement short-term, medium-term, and long-term plans for how each line of the commuter rail system can be fully integrated into the Commonwealth’s transportation system and contribute to the productivity, equity, and decarbonization efforts of the MBTA as a whole.

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Other policy provisions related to the MBTA include requiring the authority to provide parking alternatives to commuters when it demolishes or reconstructs parking lots or garages it operates; to hold a mandatory, 30-day appeal process during which the authority must confer with the municipality’s planning officials to explore alternatives when there is a bus route service elimination; and to develop an updated service and operational plans for established and potential water transportation routes involving passenger ferry service.

Additionally, the bill:

• Creates a special commission on mobility pricing to investigate, study and make recommendations on the development and deployment of comprehensive and regionally equitable public transportation pricing, roadway pricing and congestion pricing.
• Creates a commission to investigate and receive public testimony concerning public entities with the ability to design, permit, construct, operate and maintain passenger rail service that meets the standards of at least one of the final alternatives set forth in the East-West Passenger Rail Study Final Report.

• Regulates the use of e-bikes to encourage their adoption and authorizes municipalities and the state to adopt ordinances or regulations concerning the use of such e-bikes on bike paths and bikeways.
• Requires transportation network companies to submit data related to pre-arranged rides for the purposes of congestion management.

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• Requires MassDOT, in consultation with the comptroller, to create a website to report on expenditures from this act and any project receiving federal funding from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
• Requires MassDOT, in consultation with the Executive Office Energy and Environmental Affairs (EOEEA), to study the feasibility of wildlife crossing projects for the purpose of establishing and maintaining these projects.
• Authorizes the MassDOT to create positions and hire staff for the purpose of conducting research and policy analysis for the MBTA board of directors.

“The transportation infrastructure bond bill positions the Commonwealth to be able to repair, maintain, and modernize our roadways and public transit system,” said Senator Patrick M. O’Connor (R-Weymouth). “Additionally, language in this bill will allow Massachusetts to go after more federal dollars to build on the investments we are making today. I was proud to serve on the Conference Committee alongside my colleagues and I am looking forward to seeing these investments pay dividends in the years to come.”

“The priority investments provided for in this bill are a critical first step in the process of providing safe, reliable and efficient transportation systems for the residents of the Commonwealth,” said Representative Norman J. Orrall (R-Lakeville).