WESTFIELD—The state’s House of Representatives passed $200 million in funding for municipalities in Massachusetts this week, with $1.2 million of that money expected to go to Westfield, as well as funds reaching hilltowns in the area.
The money will be coming from the state’s Chapter 90 funding, which is a reimbursement program that gives money back to municipalities for certain approved transportation projects. If approved by both the state Senate and Gov. Charlie Baker, the funds will be used exclusively toward “road repair and upgrades,” according to Mayor Brian Sullivan, which he said will be keeping with his campaign’s promises when he first ran for mayor.
Westfield Mayor Brian Sullivan (WNG file photo)
“The biggest thing to say is the mayor is intent to live up to his directive—that the Chapter 90 money is going toward paving roads,” Mark Cressotti, city engineer for Westfield, said.
The money, as long as both the senate and Baker OK it, will not be available until July 1 of this year, and will be for use for fiscal year 2018. According to a press release from Rep. John Velis, who first announced the total for Westfield on Thursday in The Westfield News, the amount Westfield is receiving is the 26th most “among the 351 municipalities in the Commonwealth, and the third highest in Hampden County behind Springfield and Chicopee.”
Cressotti said that Sullivan is “still reviewing the candidate list of streets” that will be in line for improvements, but acknowledged that they have a tentative list of streets they are working with.
More specifically, Sullivan said that some of the work that is anticipated to be funded includes patching with the infrared machine, in-house milling and paving, as well as reconstruction on the most critical streets needing repairs.
Additionally, both Cressotti and Sullivan noted that funds from fiscal year 2017 will still be used on Franklin Street and Southwick Road, as previously committed to by the city.
Sen. Don Humason (WNG File Photo)
Southwick and other hilltowns like Tolland and Granville will also use the Chapter 90 money towards any infrastructure work that is needed. For Sen. Don Humason, who represents all three communities, the annual money from the state benefits much-needed road repair projects in the towns he represents.
“Chapter 90 funding is always good news for cities and towns,” said Humason. “They have a lot of road work to do and the governor and the legislature know that the earlier that we give the communities notice of their appropriate funds, the better it is for them.”
According to Southwick’s Chief Administrative Officer Karl Stinehart, the town usually receives around $360,000 each year in Chapter 90 money, which is about $180,000 for every $100 million that the entire commonwealth receives.
Stinehart says that he hopes that the state will end up turning that $200 million in Chapter 90 money into $400 million at some point down the road.
Despite that, communities like Southwick are certainly pleased with the roughly $360,000 they are given annually.
“We’re very appreciate of it and it will be used,” said Stinehart.
The chapter 90 funding program began in 1973, and according to the state’s website, it is used “to entitle [m]unicipalities to reimbursement of documented expenditures under the provisions of General Laws, Chapter 90, Section 34, Clause 2(a) on approved [p]rojects.”
These projects may include highway repair and construction, bikeway and some mass transportation-related buildings and facilities and repair equipment, among others. Projects are submitted to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) for approval.
The Westfield News reporter Greg Fitzpatrick also contributed to this story.
