State Senate Passes $300M Transportation Bond Bill

The Massachusetts Senate passed a $300 million transportation bond bill that, if approved by the governor, will help finance transportation needs across the state.

The funds provided in the bill can be used by every municipality in the state for highway construction, preservation and improvement projects, and maintaining, repairing, improving and constructing town and county ways and bridges, according to a statement issued by Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex counties state senator Richard J. Ross.

“This legislation provides much-needed funding to our cities and towns for transportation projects essential to keeping Massachusetts roads safe and efficient for residents,” Ross said in the statement. “During such troubling economic times, it is imperative that we provide this assistance to our municipalities to make necessary repairs and improvements and to foster job creation in our communities.”

The reimburseable funding, which comes from the Chapter 90 program, represents an increase of 50 percent from the fiscal year 2013 allotment, the statement says.

The state House of Representatives passed the bill last week. Gov. Deval Patrick must now sign off for the bill to be approved.

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