Though there was a suggestion the state consider a moratorium on new transit expansion projects such as the Green Line extension to Somerville, Secretary of Transportation Bernard Cohen said the Green Line extension is mandated by law because it was promised to alleviate the environmental concerns of the Big Dig.
BOSTON. Legislators yesterday questioned whether the state should consider a moratorium on transportation expansion projects while it faces a potential $19 billion funding gap just to maintain existing infrastructure, and struggles to pay for road and bridge repairs.
During a hearing at the State House, Secretary of Transportation Bernard Cohen testified before the Transportation Committee pushing for the approval of a three-year, $4.8 billion transportation bond bill.
“We can no longer afford to ignore the crisis facing our transportation system. Just last week, trucks were banned from the inner roadways of the Longfellow Bridge to ensure safety,” said Cohen.
The bill includes $1.3 billion for improvements to roads and bridges; $500 million to fund Chapter 90 grants for cities and towns to maintain their infrastructure; $100 million for mass transit projects, including planning for the South Coast Rail extension to Fall River; and $600 million for the Green Line extension to Somerville and Medford.
The funding bill, which committee members claim they will fast track to the Legislature, would see the state receive $400 million in federal funds to assist with the projects. In December, the Federal Transit Administration sent a letter to the Patrick administration threat-ning to withhold the money because they felt the state hadn’t sufficiently committed its own funds to transportation needs.
Committee Chairman Sen. Steven Baddour, D-Haverhill, questioned whether the bill would address the $19 billion budget shortfall projected in the next 20 years just to maintain the existing infrastructure.
Cohen said the bill did not include a solution to the budget woes, but promised that in the coming months the administration would unveil a reform plan for the transportation system and a proposal for new revenue.
