Framingham Reps Join House on Transportation and Infrastructure Bill

Framingham – Thursday, June 29, 2022 - Last week, on June 23, 2022 the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed a transportation and infrastructure bill authorizing $10.9 billion for 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 $250 million for the East-West passenger rail project.

The Framingham House Delegation successfully advocated for the following projects:

• $2,000,000 for pedestrian and ADA improvements throughout Framingham
• $2,000,000 for the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail and Chris Walsh Rail Trail in the city of Framingham
• $500,000 for traffic-calming strategies in the city of Framingham
• $2,000,000 for repairs to the Potter Road Bridge spanning Framingham to Wayland over the Sudbury River
• $1,000,000 for the Massachusetts Port Authority for the Framingham Logan Express service for mitigation during construction of the Sumner Tunnel
• $50,000,000 for the development and construction of accessible high-level boarding platforms along the Worcester/Framingham and Fitchburg commuter rail lines
• $50,000,000 for the electrification of the Framingham and Worcester commuter rail line
• $1,000,000 for the Metrowest Regional Transit Authority for expanded Sunday service

“I am so proud of the passage of the House infrastructure and transportation bond bill, legislation that will have a lasting impact on all our communities,'' noted Rep Jack Patrick Lewis (Framingham). ‘It was an honor to work with my Framingham and MetroWest colleagues to secure these potential projects in this bond bill. Thank you to Speaker Mariano, Chairs Michlewitz, Straus, and Gregiore and my colleagues for their leadership in making this bill a reality.”

“Ensuring that the Commonwealth’s transportation infrastructure is adequately funded is a top priority for the House, which is why I’m proud of the legislation passed today,” said House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano (Quincy). “In addition to significant funding for roadway and bridge projects, this bill also recognizes the importance of providing further support for the MBTA in their ongoing effort to address safety concerns, and for the ever-important East-West Rail project. I want to thank Chairs Michlewitz, Straus, and Gregoire, as well as all my colleagues in the House, for the hard work required to get this done.”

“Coupled with the billions of dollars the Commonwealth will receive from the federal government for infrastructure improvements, this funding will provide thousands of jobs and will enable our state and municipal transportation systems to reach a greatly improved and sustainable level of service that promises to benefit every community in every region of our Commonwealth” said Representative Carmine Gentile (Sudbury). “ In combination with our planned investment in offshore wind and the redevelopment of our 1950’s era electrical infrastructure, we can look forward to a successful transition from fossil fuel cars, trucks and trains to green electric-powered means of transportation in every modality, powered by electricity less expensive than gas or diesel – in stark contrast to our current and past circumstances.”

“This legislation provides meaningful and generational investments to the roads, bridges and transportation systems throughout our Commonwealth,” said Representative Danielle Gregoire (Marlborough), House Chair of the Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets. “Because of the foresight and diligence of Speaker Mariano, we were able to engage early-on legislators from across the state on how this legislation could be most impactful to fully meet the needs of our Commonwealth. I am grateful to the Speaker for the opportunity to work on this critical piece of legislation and am thankful to my colleagues, Chairman Michlewitz and Chairman Straus for their partnership in bringing this to the House floor.”

“Framingham has a phenomenal opportunity to repair and expand transportation in and around our city and continue our progress as being the hub of Metrowest,” said Representative Maria Robinson (Framingham). “With strong local leadership, we can work to get these projects moving to continue to improve the quality of life here in Framingham.”

Other highlights of the bill include:

• $2,812,457,157 for projects on the interstate and non-interstate federal highway system
• $1,270,000,000 for non-federally aided roadway and bridge projects and for the nonparticipating portion of federally aided projects
• $85,000,000 for pavement and surface conditions on non-federally aided roadways
• $25,000,000 for pavement and surface conditions on municipal roadways
• $20,000,000 for grants to municipalities under the Complete Streets Funding Program
• $25,000,000 for grants to Transportation Management Associations
• $82,000,000 for rail improvements
• $64,900,000 for projects of regional transit networks and facilities
• $1,375,000,000 for sustainable transit system modernization and rail improvements
• $114,100,000 for the Airport Improvement Program
• $145,000,000 for multi-modal transportation planning and programming
• $10,000,000 for a public realm improvement program
• $3,500,000,000 for projects funded with discretionary federal grant funds
• $25,501,000 for the Mobility Assistance Program
• $200,000,000 for projects that reduce emissions such as public alternative fueling stations and electric vehicle charging infrastructure, 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

Additionally, the bill:

• Updates safety requirements to be met prior to excavation projects
• Authorizes vehicles or trailers used for maintenance, construction activities in highway work zones to display flashing blue lights with a permit from the registrar
• Requires the MBTA to provide parking alternatives to commuters when it demolishes or reconstructs parking lots or garages it owns or operates
• Requires MassDOT, in consultation with the Comptroller, to develop and operate a publicly accessible and searchable database to report on this bill’s expenditures and any project receiving federal funding from the federal Infrastructure and Investment in Jobs Act of 2021
• Establishes a commission to review and receive testimony concerning public entities, including those that may be created by statute in the future, with the ability to design, permit, construct, operate and maintain passenger rail service that meets the standards of the Final Alternatives in the East-West Passenger Rail Study Final Report issued by MassDOT in 2021

“An Act relative to Massachusetts’s transportation resources and climate” (H.4897) passed the House of Representatives 155-0. It now goes to the Senate for their consideration.

###