Gov. Charlie Baker unveiled plans for the state’s portion of the federal infrastructure passed by Congress this year, funds that will be used to repair roadways, highways, bridges and public transportation lines.
The governor, speaking from the University of Massachusetts’ Lowell campus, outlined how the state plans to spend $9.5 billion over the next five years, addressing the Rourke Bridge replacement as part of the state’s $3 billion Next Generation bridge program. The bridge will be replaced at a cost of $170 million, after it was initially constructed in 1983 as a temporary bridge.
The Next Generation bridge program will repair and replace 146 bridges on 181 structures over the next five years.
“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will deliver billions in funding to the Commonwealth, helping to build on the investments our administration has made over the past seven years to improve our roads and bridges, and make our public transportation system more reliable and resilient,” Baker said.
Massachusetts will receive $9.5 billion over the next five years, with $5.4 billion in highway funds, $2.2 billion in Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority funds, $591 million in Regional Transit Authority funds, and $1.4 million in formula and discretional funds that can be used for environmental projects.
The discretionary transportation funds, he said, can be used for major projects such as the Cape Cod Bridges, which are federally owned, and the Allston I-90 Multimodal project.
With the reauthorization of funds under the law, and the combined matching funds from the state, Massachusetts will continue work on 375 highway projects and will advance another 71 projects, including extending the Ashuwillticook Train in Adams and North Adams, reconstruct Route 9 in Pittsfield, and rehab Route 5 in West Springfield.
With the $591 million in Regional Transit Authorities are to receive, $41.7 million will be used for facility and system modernization, $80.9 million will be used for facility and vehicle maintenance, and another $50.5 million will be used for fleet upgrades.
The MBTA will receive $2.2 billion that will be used to replacing 10 rail fleet vehicles and 90 battery electric buses at a cost of $852 million, and $412 million will be used for stations and facilities, including the Quincy Bus Facility and Codman Yard Expansion projects.
Rail funding in the amount of $66 billion will be used to address the Amtrak maintenance backlog, in addition to modernizing the Northeast Corridor, and expand intercity rail service. The freight rail system will also be upgraded.
The infrastructure bill will also provide $1.4 billion to be used to improve environmental infrastructure, including $11 million for energy grid reliability, $2.5 million for energy efficiency block grants, and $367.6 million for environmental remediation projects.
