麻州長簽署160億元交通債券法

  

            (Boston Orange 編譯)麻州州長查理貝克(Charlie Baker)，副州長白莉朵(Karyn Polito)，代理麻州交通廳廳長(MassDOT Secretary of Transportation) Jamey Tesler和州市議員聯袂出席160億元交通債券法的簽署儀式。

             這一法案早於1月15日已簽署，並授權撥款資助各項交通工程項目，今日的網上簽署純為儀式性活動。

             查理貝克表示，這交通債券法是為打造21世紀的流動架構，以期麻州得以充分利用交通科技上的新興變化。麻州交通廳和麻州灣區交通局(MBTA)將持續現代化改善。  

             該法案包括51億元用於現代化麻州地鐵，1億元改善麻州編號的地方市鎮道路，5000萬元用於確保市鎮有所需資源繼續建造完整街道基礎設施，以鼓勵民眾出門時多走路或騎自行車。

             該法案還包括7000萬元市鎮小橋梁項目，並經由兩項新的補助款項目，優先擴大使用指定巴士路線，以及交通信號燈。此外該法案還授權麻州地鐵使用已有很完善架構的採購辦法，例如小項目的工程合約發包。

             今年新任參議會交通委員會主席，轄區包括波士頓華埠的麻州參議員Joe Boncore也出席了儀式。

Governor Baker Signs $16 Billion Transportation Bond Bill

 BOSTON

麻州交通廳代理廳長Jamey Tesler。

– Today, Governor Charlie Baker, Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito, and Acting MassDOT Secretary of Transportation Jamey Tesler joined legislators, municipal leaders, and other stakeholders in a virtual ceremonial signing of the $16 billion Transportation Bond Bill legislation. This legislation was signed into law on January 15, 2021, and authorizes funding across all modes of transportation to support and facilitate the ongoing continual efforts of MassDOT and the MBTA to invest in and modernize the Commonwealth’s transportation system. 

 

麻州參議員Joe Boncore今年是交通委員會主席。

“The Transportation Bond Bill builds upon our Administration’s ongoing commitment to create a 21st-century mobility infrastructure that will prepare the Commonwealth to capitalize on emerging changes in transportation technology and behavior,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “MassDOT and the MBTA have continued to implement widespread improvements throughout the transportation system and this new bond authorization will further support capital investment planning to rebuild, modernize, and expand the capacity of the Commonwealth’s transportation infrastructure.”

“Our Administration continues to work closely with our statewide municipal partners to help identify ways in which they can make further improvements to their transportation infrastructure,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “This bill includes authorization for municipally-focused programs, such as the new Municipal Pavement program, which will support the continual efforts of municipalities to provide connectivity and healthy and safe transportation options for community members.”   

The legislation includes nearly $5.1 billion to continue modernizing the MBTA, $100 million to improve the pavement condition on state numbered municipal roads, $50 million to ensure municipalities have resources needed to continue efforts to build ‘Complete Streets’ infrastructure to encourage the public to travel more on foot and by bicycle. The bill also includes $70 million for the Municipal Small Bridge Program and expands the use of designated bus lanes and transit signal priority through two new grant programs. Additionally, the bill authorizes the MBTA to use well-established procurement methods such as Job Order contracting for smaller projects.

“The Transportation Bond Bill supports our efforts to rebuild, modernize, and expand the capacity of the Commonwealth’s transportation system,” said Acting Secretary of Transportation and CEO Jamey Tesler. “We are grateful to the members of the Legislature and the advocates who worked so hard to get this bill approved.” 

The bill also responds to the needs of municipal partners by reauthorizing or creating five funding partnerships to supplement and complement the Chapter 90 program, and reauthorizes the popular Municipal Small Bridge Program and Complete Streets Program. In addition to local bottleneck reduction program already mentioned, a third municipal funding initiative would improve the condition of roadways by authorizing $100 million for a municipal pavement partnership program to help cities and towns care for state-numbered routes that are locally owned.

Highlights of the Transportation Bond Bill are as follows:

 

• $4.4 billion for use as funding for Highway federal aid projects
• $3 billion for Transit System Modernization Investments (MBTA)
• $1.25 billion in Non-Federal Aid for use as funding in Highways projects that are not eligible for federal funding
• $1.25 billion for the new Next Generation Bridge program
• $70 million for the popular Municipal Small Bridge Program
• $50 million for the popular Complete Streets program
• $20 million for ‘public realm’ COVID-related Shared Streets and Spaces program
• $100 million for a new Municipal Pavement program for pavement projects on locally owned but state numbered roads
• $100 million in four new programs to provide financial assistance for municipalities seeking to improve infrastructure, such as bus lanes or bus signal prioritization projects, and connectivity
• $350 million for the Cape Cod Bridges approaches project
• $825 million for South Coast Rail
• $595 million for Green Line Extension 
• $89 million for Aeronautics Division
• $760 million to support the Regional Transit Authorities and Rail & Transit’s Mobility Assistance Program and Rail improvements
• Construction Zone Speed Limits that allows posting of speed limits in construction zones and doubling of speeding fines for violations