Massachusetts Gov. Makes Case for Road Funding Reforms

A package of proposed bills would change the state’s road funding formula to ensure more money flows to rural areas with limited resources.

1 minute read

March 6, 2025, 5:00 AM PST

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Massachusetts state capitol with gold dome in Boston, Massachusetts.

Nate Hovee / Adobe Stock

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey is touting a proposal to change the state’s road funding formula, which currently allocates funding based on population and thus can leave out the state’s rural areas.

According to reporting by James Paleologopoulos for WAMC, “The plan involves leveraging millions of dollars collected via the voter-approved Fair Share amendment, also known as the millionaires’ tax. It also includes a five-year, $1.5 billion Chapter 90 Bond Bill filed in late-January.” The bill would raise Chapter 90 funding by $100 million annually and allocate the additional funds based on road mileage only. The Healey administration says the proposal would amount to 75 to 90 percent increases in Chapter 90 funding for over 60 rural communities.

In an address, the governor said, “For too long, the way that funding was distributed in this state - it was done according to population, and what we are proposing to do is change that, to have it done by mileage: the actual amount of roads within a given community.” Rural communities with high road usage and small tax bases were often overlooked and lacked the funds to make critical repairs to roads, bridges, and infrastructure like culverts to divert floodwater.

Tuesday, March 4, 2025 in WAMC

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight