AN ACT MAKING CERTAIN SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2007 AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE INSPECTION AND SAFETY OF THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY ROUTE 90 CONNECTOR TUNNEL AND ALL TUNNELS OF THE METROPOLITAN HIGHWAY SYSTEM.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION 1. The executive office of transportation shall have the authority to retain the
services of an independent inspection firm or consultant to conduct an
immediate and exhaustive safety and engineering inspection related to the
failed ceiling and fastening system in the interstate highway route 90
connector tunnel. Such retention shall
not be subject to chapter 30B of the General Laws. The interstate highway route 90 connector
tunnel shall not be re-opened until such time as the governor, in consultation
with the executive office of transportation, approves its re-opening.
SECTION 2. Notwithstanding
any general or special law to the contrary, the inspection firm or
consultant retained pursuant to section 1 shall have unlimited access to all
Massachusetts turnpike authority facilities, plans, reports, drawings and
documents, without reservation, that it shall deem necessary to carry out the
immediate and exhaustive inspection. In
connection with such inspection, all Massachusetts turnpike authority personnel
shall report to the executive office of transportation and shall cooperate
fully with the executive office of transportation and the independent
inspection firm or consultant, and upon the request of the executive office of
transportation, the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority shall direct any of its
contractors to report directly to the executive office of transportation.
SECTION 3. Once
the interstate highway route 90 connector tunnel is re-opened, there shall be
appropriated $20 million from the General Fund for a comprehensive critical
infrastructure safety audit of all tunnels part of the metropolitan highway
system. The executive office of transportation shall retain
the services of an independent inspection firm or consultant to conduct such
audit. Such retention shall not be
subject to chapter 30B of the General Laws. The governor, after
consultation with the executive office of transportation, shall have the
authority to order the closure of any tunnel deemed unsafe for travel.
Notwithstanding any general
or special law to the contrary, the independent inspection firm or
consultant retained pursuant to section 3 shall have unlimited access to all
Massachusetts turnpike authority facilities, plans, reports, drawings and
documents, without reservation, that it shall deem necessary to carry out the
comprehensive inspection. In connection with such audit, all
Approved July 14, 2006.