SENATOR MICHAEL R. KNAPIK
WESTFIELD – Area communities will see a significant increase in the level of state funding for road and infrastructure improvements as the result of bills approved by the House of Representatives last week and by the Senate Thursday.
Sen. Michael R. Knapik announced in a prepared text Friday that the two legislative branches have approved $300 million for Chapter 90 funding to local communities, a $100 million increase over the 2012 funding level.
“This funding is extremely important to our cities and towns as the construction season is already underway,” Knapik said. “Maintaining an efficient and functional transportation infrastructure is critical to the local economy.”
The $300 million is dispersed on a formula that takes into account the miles of roadways in a community, population and the employment rate in each municipality.
Knapik said that communities in his district, the 2nd Hampden and Hampshire District, will see an increase of $3 million over the 2012 disbursement figures.
Westfield is slated to receive $1,835,589 in the 2014 Fiscal Year Chapter 90 funding package, an increase of $611,863 over the 2012 funding level.
“That’s a heck of a jump,” Public Works Superintendent Jim Mulvenna said Friday. “We can get a lot more done relative to paving.”
Mulvenna said that Mayor Daniel M. Knapik was anticipating a small increase of about $1.6 million as he prepares the FY 2014 city budget.
“So $1.8 million is terrific,” Mulvenna said. “We’ve been putting together a list of roads that need improvements over the winter and the mayor always asks the City Council ward councilors if there are streets that need to be paved.”
“Now that we have a funding figure, we can get a good concrete list, maybe tackle some of the bigger jobs like finishing East Mountain Road to Route 20 and doing another third of Franklin Street,” Mulvenna said. “It doesn’t take long to eat up that money. That $1.8 million is the most we’ve gotten over the past 10 years that I’ve been here.”
Other communities in the district will also see substantial increases in the level of Chapter 90 funding. Agawam will receive $1,234,491, an increase of $411,497; Chicopee will receive $1,821,856 an increase of $607,285; Easthampton is slated to receive $739,629, an increase of $246,543; Granville is scheduled for $404,913, an increase of $134,971; Holyoke will receive $1,610,698, an increase of $536,899;
Montgomery will receive $192,212, an increase of $64,071; Russell is scheduled for $156,111, an increase of $52,037; Southampton for $485,211 an increase of $161,737; Southwick will receive $548,262, an increase of $81,868 and Tolland will receive $254,604 and increase of $81,868.
The House approved its Chapter 90 bill on April 24, 2013 while the Senate approve its version of the transportation bill on May 2, 2013. The proposed Chapter 90 package will now go back to Governor Deval Patrick for his signature. Patrick must file a “terms bill’ as the final step before the state treasurer can issue bonds to finance the funding package.
