Reps Stanley, Lawn pass bill authorizing funding for roads, bridges and public transportation

Waltham would receive nearly $2 million for local road and sidewalk work under a $4.58 billion transportation bond bill overwhelmingly approved by the Massachusetts House last week.

Under the bill, Waltham’s projected fiscal 2027 Chapter 90 apportionment is $1,957,766.02, money the city can use for repaving neighborhood streets, fixing potholes and repairing local bridges. City officials typically bundle Chapter 90 dollars with local funds to rebuild roads, upgrade sidewalks and improve intersections across Waltham each construction season.

Representative Thomas M. Stanley, a Waltham Democrat, said the package will support long-term improvements to local roadways and transportation infrastructure that residents rely on every day, while boosting economic activity and overall quality of life. Representative John J. Lawn Jr., whose district includes part of Waltham, said the bill is intended to improve safety “for every road user,” emphasizing ADA-accessible crosswalks and sidewalks, bike lanes and bus lanes that affect how residents walk, ride and commute through the city.

What the bill does

The House bill authorizes $4.58 billion in bonding statewide, including a one-year, $300 million Chapter 90 authorization for municipalities, matching the Healey-Driscoll administration’s commitment for fiscal 2027. Of that, $200 million would be distributed under the standard Chapter 90 formula, which factors in each community’s road mileage, population and employment, and $100 million would be distributed based solely on local road miles, a change that favors communities with extensive street networks.

Beyond basic road work, the bill steers $1.1 billion into targeted programs that could shape Waltham residents’ daily travel, including $500 million for a lifecycle asset management program to fix the worst pavements and bridges, $200 million for transportation projects tied to housing development such as stormwater upgrades and bike-pedestrian improvements, $200 million for deferred maintenance in state-managed parkways and $200 million for the MBTA to purchase electric locomotives. It also reauthorizes $3.18 billion first approved in a 2022 transportation bond law, covering interstate and highway projects, non-federally aided roads and bridges, the Municipal Pavement Program that supports engineering and climate adaptation on local streets, and Shared Streets grants that add space for pedestrians and cyclists.

Why local officials care

Municipal leaders say Chapter 90 remains the backbone of local road maintenance budgets, helping cities like Waltham keep up with basic repaving while preparing for heavier rain, heat and other climate impacts on pavement, culverts and drainage. Adam Chapdelaine, executive director and CEO of the Massachusetts Municipal Association, called the House bill an “important” step that directly supports the safety and reliability of local roads in all 351 cities and towns.

The bill passed the House 155-0 and now moves to the Senate, where lawmakers will decide whether to keep the one-year, $300 million authorization or pursue a multi-year plan that local officials say would help them better plan major reconstruction projects. If the legislature and governor finalize the measure this session, Waltham could begin drawing down its fiscal 2027 Chapter 90 funds after the state budget is signed, allowing another season of road, sidewalk and safety upgrades for residents in every neighborhood.