Senate Passes $1.39 Billion Transportation Bond

The Senate on Tuesday passed a $1.39 billion bond bill to fund existing transportation improvement projects through Fiscal Year 2013, Senator Karen Spilka (D-Ashland) announced.

“Transportation infrastructure is not only important to the everyday life of our residents but it is also essential for continued economic development in cities and towns across the state,” said Spilka. “This will give our communities the additional resources they need to tackle some of their most significant transportation problems.”

The bill includes bonding authority for many transportation-related projects in MetroWest, including:

-$1 million for the planning, design, or construction of transportation related improvements in the area around the at-grade rail crossings in downtown Ashland;

-$1 million for the planning, design, or construction of transportation related improvements in the Route 126/135 interchange area in Framingham; and

-$1.5 million for the planning, engineering, design, or construction of an expanded facility for the operation, maintenance and demand response dispatch of the MetroWest RTA.

The Senate bill authorizes the state to borrow $683 million for existing projects, ensuring that state dollars will be available to leverage federal funding for a total of $1.39 billion.

The Senate bill and the House bill will go to a conference committee to produce a compromise bill for final passage and consideration of the governor.