Mass. to get windfall for infrastructure needs

By Christian M. Wade

BOSTON — Money to fix crumbling roads and bridges. Better public transit. More electric cars on the road. Expanded broadband and cleaner drinking water.

On Friday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, sending it to President Joe Biden for his signature.

The measure, which passed on a 228-206 vote with Republican support, includes big federal investments in roadways, bridges, railways and broadband internet.

Massachusetts stands to get more than $9 billion from the spending bill over the next five years, including at least $4.2 billion for road upgrades and $1.1 billion for bridge repairs, according to a breakdown provided by the White House.

The state will also receive at least $1.1 billion to improve water and sewer infrastructure and address combined sewer overflows that spew sewage into the Merrimack River and other bodies of water. It also stands to get $100 million to help provide broadband coverage across the state.

On Monday, Republican Gov. Charlie Baker welcomed the bill’s passage and called it a “unique opportunity” to tap into federal funds to address the state’s needs.

However, he pointed out, much of the federal funding approved as part of the infrastructure bill will require the state to partially match the investment.

“A lot of that money is going to be competitively bid, which is pretty typical for federal funds,” Baker told reporters at a briefing. “Massachusetts has a long history of being smart about how we go about accessing our fair share of federal resources, and this creates a tremendous opportunity to do that.”

Rep. Lori Trahan, a Westford Democrat who voted for the spending package, said the legislation will “improve the lives of every Bay Stater, create millions of good-paying jobs nationwide, and usher in unprecedented economic growth.”

“Whether it’s upgrading sewage systems in Lowell and Lawrence, repairing bridges in Haverhill and Fitchburg, improving roads in Gardner and Acton, making intersections safer in Marlborough and Methuen, or much more, this legislation will deliver the investments necessary to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure, improve the daily lives of every single resident of the Third District, and create millions of family-sustaining jobs nationwide,” she said in a statement.

The state will also get $2.5 billion from the infrastructure plan for upgrades on the MBTA and other public transit systems. Other funding would be devoted to airport upgrades and incentives for drivers to switch to electric vehicles.

A fact sheet released by the White House ahead of the bill’s passage laid out the state’s vast infrastructure needs.

Topping the list are Massachusetts’ aging roads and bridges, many of which are in disrepair, according to the White House. The Biden administration said there are at least 472 bridges and nearly 1,194 miles of highway in poor condition.

In a statistic that wouldn’t come as a surprise to Bay State drivers, the White House pointed out that commuting times in Massachusetts have increased by 10.9% annually. The average Massachusetts driver spends $620 a year in auto repair costs as a result of potholed roadways, according to the statement.

“For decades, infrastructure in Massachusetts has suffered from a systemic lack of investment,” the statement reads. “The need for action is clear.”

Meanwhile, Congress has postponed a vote on a larger $1.75 trillion social safety net and climate package amid objections from Republicans and some Democrats.

Trahan said passage of the social spending bill is “crucial’ to ensuring that the state and nation recover from the pandemic.

“Together, these historic pieces of legislation will ensure that no one is left behind as we defeat COVID-19 and rebuild our economy,” she said. “We will get both done.”