Senate Passes $300M Transportation Bond Bill

The Massachusetts Senate has passed a $300 million transportation bond bill that, if approved by the governor, will help finance transportation needs across the state.

The funds provided in the bill can be used by every municipality in the state for highway construction, preservation and improvement projects, and maintaining, repairing, improving and constructing town and county ways and bridges.

Mayor Ted Bettencourt said he was glad to see the bill pass through both the House and Senate, which will amount to approximately another $500,000 for roads and sidewalks in Peabody.

The reimburseable funding, which comes from the Chapter 90 program, represents an overall increase of 50 percent (or $100 million) from the fiscal year 2013 allotment by the state.

The state House of Representatives passed the bill last week. Gov. Deval Patrick must now sign off for the bill to be approved.