Massachusetts & Oklahoma Announce New Infrastructure Plans

In the search for a solution to the federal government’s slow progress towards a comprehensive infrastructure package, many states have passed infrastructure bills of their own. And there are more in progress—Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker pitched a $18 billion transportation spending bill to legislators last week.

The multi-year bill allocates millions of dollars to road and bridge repair throughout the state and provides additional money for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. The bill also lends support for the Transportation Climate Initiative, aimed at cutting vehicle emissions drastically, and it will fund new tools and resources to decrease traffic congestion in the state.

The bill does not specify whether additional taxes will be needed to fund it—that will be left up to state legislators.

In Oklahoma, state transportation officials have announced an 8-year, $6.5 billion construction plan that will focus on repair and improvement to bridges, state highways and pavement. The plan has been approved by the Oklahoma Transportation Commission and involves nearly 1,400 projects.

Of 6,800 bridges maintained by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (DOT), 650 will be replaced or repaired under the new plan.