SPRINGFIELD — Roughly 25 streets throughout the city will be bolstered by just over $5 million in state Chapter 90 funds after the City Council approved the allocation during its April 7 meeting.
DPW Director Chris Cignoli explained that the city has historically received $3.6 million in these funds, but because Massachusetts increased the amount it doles out from $200 million to $300 million for fiscal year 2026, Springfield secures a higher allocation of funds.
This year, the city will use most of the funds, around $4 million, for arterial and residential paving programs. Additionally, over $660,000 will fund design and easements, $150,000 will go toward road maintenance, $125,000 will benefit traffic signal improvements and $100,000 will fund project salary support.
Cignoli said he expects an extensive bid package for the projects to be out within the next week.
“As as soon as this work is ready to go, in probably late May early June, we will get going with this work as quickly as possible as well,” Cignoli said.
City Councilor At-Large Kateri Walsh wondered what the recourse is for residents whose streets are not on the list for paving projects.
Cignoli responded with an explanation of how the city chooses which streets need to be paved.
He said Springfield bases its selection on a paving condition index that essentially ranks the streets based on condition. Cignoli told Walsh that he would be happy to share the list with councilors so they can spread the news to its residents.
He added that the list will be updated by the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission sometime this summer.
“When we have that list, we go through the list … we then take out streets,” Cignoli said of the process of choosing which streets will be paved. “I then have to try and make sure that I make 13 people sitting in this room as comfortable as possible to spread the work around all of the neighborhoods as best as we can and try and somewhat stay away from big projects.”
Because of a five-year bond bill that passed at the state level, Cignoli said the city of Springfield will receive approximately $5 million in Chapter 90 funding for at least the next four years.
“That’s great news,” said Ward 6 City Councilor Victor Davila in reference to the bond bill. “Let us not forget that a good city has good roads.”
The council also unanimously approved the allocation of over $807,000 from the state’s FY25 Fair Share Amendment. Cignoli said the money can be used for paving projects, design work or to buy equipment.
According to the order, Springfield’s allocation will be used for residential reconstruction and has already been incorporated into the city’s 10-year Chapter 90 contract.
The state of Massachusetts doled out a total of $45 million in Fair Share Amendment funding for FY25.
