SENATE DOCKET, NO. 983        FILED ON: 1/18/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2215

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Brendan P. Crighton

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act establishing a regional equity and roadway board.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 983        FILED ON: 1/18/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2215

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 2299 OF 2021-2022.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

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An Act establishing a regional equity and roadway board.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Section 13 of chapter 6C of the general laws, as appearing in the 2020 official edition, is hereby amended by inserting at the end of sub-sections (c) the following:-,

(iii) Financial support for traffic congestion relief and public transit initiatives and systems as determined by the regional equity roadway board.

(d) There shall be a Regional Equity Roadway Board that will develop and deploy a comprehensive and regionally- equitable roadway pricing policy for the Commonwealth, which shall include, without limitation, greater Boston metropolitan area roadways, major bridges and interstate highways near the commonwealth’s borders. The Board shall have the authority to implement their regionally – equitable road pricing plan on behalf of the department beginning on January 1, 2025. The Board shall consist of: the secretary of transportation or a designee; 6 members, appointed by the Governor; 1 of whom shall be an expert in transportation planning and policy who is not an employee of the commonwealth or any political subdivision, who shall serve as chair, 1 of whom shall be an expert in tolling systems or toll authorities, 1 of whom shall be an expert in traffic congestion, 1 of whom shall represent a municipality that includes a highway where roadway tolls are currently in place, 1 of whom shall be a former or current member of the mbta fiscal and management control board, and  one of whom shall be employed by an organization that represents low-income communities that have been historically underserved by transit and acutely adversely affected by the public health impacts of traffic congestion.

(e)  The board shall: (i) identify and analyze physical, technological, legal and other issues or requirements related to roadway pricing in the commonwealth; (ii) propose detailed specifications and regionally-equitable locations for toll gantries and other equipment necessary to assess and collect tolls; (iii) advise the Massachusetts Department of Transportation on  roadway pricing scenarios under the federal Value Pricing Pilot Program; (iv) provide estimates of annual operation and maintenance costs; (v) provide estimates of annual revenue; (vi) provide traffic forecasts including forecasts of traffic diversion impacts; (vii) provide a regional and social equity analysis with specific recommendations related to mitigating adverse impacts; and (viii) provide potential impacts on vehicular emissions reduction. The board shall also identify all local, state and federal approvals necessary to deploy new tolls and other roadway pricing mechanisms on relevant roadways.

(f) The board shall file a written report of its findings and recommendations annually before December 15 each year, including legislative recommendations, with the clerks of the senate and house of representatives, the house and senate committees on ways and means and the joint committee on transportation. The report shall include, but not be limited to, an analysis of mitigation measures to address social equity issues including, but not limited to, social equity issues for communities underserved by the current transportation system and most directly impacted by congestion.