Fall River to officially receive nearly $2 million for road, bridge improvements after Baker sign off

BOSTON – Governor Charlie Baker has signed H.69, An act financing improvements to municipal roads and bridges, which authorizes $200 million in Chapter 90 transportation funds to support all 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts.

Since taking office in 2015, and including the FY20 signed bill, the Baker-Polito Administration has awarded a total of $1.14 billion through the Chapter 90 formula, including $100 million on its first day in office.

“Chapter 90 funding provides cities and towns with critical resources to carry out important projects like highway construction and road paving to improve local infrastructure in communities across Massachusetts,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “We thank the Legislature for working with our administration to pass this bill and continue our support for local officials this construction season.”

“Investing in local infrastructure helps improve travel for residents and connect them to economic opportunities,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “Providing consistent Chapter 90 funding is one of the many ways in which our administration continues to serve as a reliable partner to all 351 cities and towns in the Commonwealth.”

“Chapter 90 funding is a critically important program that provides flexibility to cities and towns to prioritize important local projects,” said Administration and Finance Secretary Michael J. Heffernan. “We are pleased to continue to support these infrastructure investments through our Administration’s capital investment plan.”

“As the Governor’s Commission on the Future of Transportation in the Commonwealth report pointed out, transportation needs, challenges and solutions vary across the state, so it is appropriate that communities have Chapter 90 funds to use on their specific priorities,” said Transportation Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack. “That is also why the Administration’s additional transportation funding programs are so vital, such as the Municipal Small Bridge Program, Complete Streets Funding Program and Safe Routes to School.”

Chapter 90 reimburses cities and towns for costs incurred for eligible transportation projects. Cities and towns must submit receipts to the MassDOT Highway Division district in which they are located which verifies that the expenditures qualify for reimbursement under Chapter 90. The Highway Districts in turn submit these receipts to the Department of Transportation’s Fiscal Department which facilitates the reimbursements to cities and towns.

The breakdown for area cities and towns:

FALL RIVER $1,907,140
DARTMOUTH $1,193,570
FREETOWN $396,846
SOMERSET $509,71
SWANSEA $571,544
TAUNTON $1,430,022
WESTPORT $668,412

Mayor Correia made the announcement earlier this year and the formality of Baker signing made it official.