Representative Steven S. Howitt announces road and bridge funding for Rehoboth, Seekonk, and neighboring towns

Boston – State Representative Steven S. Howitt, R-Seekonk, announced today that Rehoboth and Seekonk is scheduled to receive $612,055 and $582,281 respectively, in funding assistance for local road and bridge repairs under the state’s Chapter 90 program.

The money was included in a $200 million bond authorization approved unanimously by the House of Representatives on April 5. The bond bill must still be approved by the Senate and signed by Governor Charlie Baker before the funding is finalized.

“I’m pleased the House has taken steps to ensure that communities will have additional financial resources available to maintain local road and bridges,” said Representative Howitt. “The funding contained in this bond bill will help Rehoboth and Seekonk address some of its most pressing transportation infrastructure needs.”

The state’s Chapter 90 program was established in 1973, and allocates funding on an annual basis to cities and towns using a formula based on the weighted average of a municipality’s population, employment, and total road miles. The funds are 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.

Representative Howitt's district also includes the towns of Norton and Swansea which received $559,958 and $571,544 respectively.