Representative Steven Howitt supports Chapter 90 bond bill

Boston – State Representative Steven Howitt, R-Seekonk has announced that Seekonk and Rehoboth are one step closer to receiving $584,745 and $612,401 respectively, for local road and bridge repairs as part of a multi-million-dollar bond bill approved by the House of Representatives. “Returning money to the District is a high priority. I’m hopeful this Bill will ultimately be signed by Governor Baker.”

House Bill 69, An Act financing improvements to municipal roads and bridges, provides for $200 million in Chapter 90 funding reimbursement for cities and towns for Fiscal Year 2020. The bill was enacted by the House of Representatives on a vote of 152-0 on May 29, with support from Representative Howitt, who also voted to engross the bill when it initially passed the House on May 8.

Established by the Legislature in 1973, the Chapter 90 program allocates funding on an annual basis to cities and towns through a formula that is based on the weighted average of a municipality’s population, employment, and total road miles. The money is paid out as reimbursements to communities for qualifying infrastructure work.

Chapter 90 funds can be spent on a variety of municipal roadway projects, including resurfacing, drainage, sidewalks, guardrails, traffic control, right-of-way acquisition and street lighting. The funding can also be used for bikeways, landscaping and tree planting associated with certain projects, and for purchasing and maintaining certain road building machinery, equipment and tools.

The Chapter 90 bond bill now requires a final enactment vote in the Senate before it can be sent to Governor Charlie Baker for his signature.