$1.5M puts Lynn on road to repair

BOSTON – Lynn will receive nearly $1.5 million in state money for roads this coming year, state legislators announced Monday afternoon.Although this appears to be a significant reduction compared with last year’s allocation, the $1.5 million is combined with unused money from 2014 and special funds to give the city a record $2.4 million for road repairs this coming construction season.”Even though we’re authorizing less money, we’re going to have more money available,” Sen. Thomas McGee (D-Lynn), chairman of the Joint Committee on Transportation, said Monday. “In many ways, it’s probably more helpful to have (money from last year) that’s available now given the winter we’ve been having.”Lynn has been awarded $1,494,439 in Chapter 90 money, which is state money to reimburse municipalities for local road reconstruction, resurfacing, equipment, design and engineering. The money is awarded each year based on a formula that considers municipalities’ miles of roads, population and employment.Last year, the legislature allocated $300 million of Chapter 90 funds among the Commonwealth’s cities and towns, an amount that McGee said was historic and about $100 million more than previous amounts.Lynn was allocated $2,225,864 as its share of this money, according to state data.But this year, Gov. Charlie Baker returned the Chapter 90 funding to $200 million, leading to the $1,494,439 allocation for Lynn announced Monday.But McGee explained that $100 million still remained from the $300 million allocated for the current year, and Baker released that remaining money on his first day in office. This gives Lynn $741,955 to add to the roughly $1.5 million allocation announced Monday.In addition, the Winter Recovery Assistance Program (WRAP) gave an additional $30 million to cities and towns for patching roads, replacing damaged signs and storm drains, and other projects due to the harsh winter.The city was awarded $222,586 of this money, which it must spend by June 1.So for this upcoming construction season, the city will basically have $2,458,980, of which $222,586 must be spent by June 1.McGee said he believed this was a record amount.”After the rough winter we all experienced, this extra money will be helpful in repairing our battered roads and bridges,” Rep. Lori Ehrlich said in a press release from McGee’s office.Rep. Brendan Crighton agreed.”This funding is a step forward to addressing our crumbling road and bridge infrastructure,” Crighton said in the statement. “We must continue to find ways to make transportation investments to ensure that people can travel safely and efficiently.”