In the News

SPRINGFIELD — The city and state are prepping about 15 local projects totaling about $200 million, eyeing funds from the $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed in November with a significant push from U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal.

The bill allows the state Department of Transportation to move the long-sought reconfiguration of the “Longmeadow Curve” on Interstate 91 into preliminary design, said Springfield Public Works Director Chris Cignoli. MassDOT’s website lists that project alone at $192 million, with no estimated dates for design completion or the commencement of construction.

“Obviously that’s a long way off,” Cignoli said Tuesday.

In Springfield, Cignoli also mentioned safety improvements at the intersection of Liberty and Armory streets as a possible use for federal infrastructure money. MassDOT lists that project at $6 million. It’s in the preliminary design phase.

The intersection presents problems because the traffic signals are hard to see, he said. All or at least most of them are on poles, not suspended over the roadway. Also, traffic has to weave and that causes problems.

Cignoli spoke at a news conference with Neal, chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, and Mayor Domenic J. Sarno at EcoBuilding Bargains on Warwick Street, in the shadow of the century-old Armory Street Bridge over CSX rail lines.

Replacing the bridge is one of those projects, Cignoli said. The city has already scheduled a Feb. 1 public hearing on replacing that bridge and another over tracks near Albany Avenue.

Massachusetts will receive $1.1 billion over the next five years for bridge repair across the state. That’s enough to improve the condition of 472 bridges.

The funding comes from the Federal Highway Administration’s largest bridge formula program in American history, Neal’s office said. The money was included with the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The program dedicates $26.5 billion to states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, as well as $825 million for tribal transportation facilities.

Cignoli said the state has recently moved forward a number of projects, like Armory Street, the Longmeadow Curve and even a long-off plan to replace the North End Bridge over the Connecticut in anticipation of the federal money.

Traffic rushed over the Armory Street Bridge as Neal spoke Tuesday.

“I’m all too familiar with these bridges,” Neal said, describing his childhood in the neighborhood. He said failing roads, bridges and the like are a longstanding problem.

“This is a much needed investment in the nation’s infrastructure, understanding that the ease with which we travel from one point to another not only increases productivity and greater efficiency, but it is estimated that over this 10-year period that this investment will also increase gross domestic product by 1%,” Neal said.

He said he supports efforts to use the federal infrastructure money on the bridges to Cape Cod.

Amtrak received $66 billion under the infrastructure law, and the law also includes $2.5 billion in funding for mass transit in the Bay State, along with the opportunity to compete for $16 billion in “major projects” transportation funding.

Those pots of money could be used to fund an expansion of east-west passenger rail service from Boston to Springfield and further west to Pittsfield. But to do that, Amtrak will need access to tracks owned by CSX.

Neal also spoke optimistically about east-west rail, especially following hearings last week where CSX asked for the federal government’s permission to buy Pan Am Railways. CSX agreed to many of Amtrak’s requests and is in talks with MassDOT.

“I think the needle could be moving in the right direction on that merger. We’ll have to wait and see. I think that they heard my plea, rather assertively,” Neal said. “But we are going to wait and see. They are going to have to cooperate with us.”

Neal also spoke optimistically about passing President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better spending package, which is held up in the Senate.

“(Arizona Sen. Kyrsten) Sinema is against the revenue proposals, including mine,” Neal said. “(West Virginia Sen. Joe) Manchin is opposed to policy initiatives. So to move one, you kind of push the other one away.”

But Neal said the bill, or at least parts of it, can pass into law.

“I think we need to find out, particularly from Sen. Manchin, what he is for,” Neal said. “He’s been very clear about what he is against. So I still think that the child care credit, paid family leave — I think those are two initiatives that come to mind that are wildly popular with the American people.”

Neal has been particularly vocal about the Child Tax Credit, which resulted in direct payments to qualifying families last summer and fall.

In his 1st Congressional District, 85.8% of children received the benefit, with the average benefit for the qualifying 44,000 households totaling $2,800. The credit lifted 8,300 children in western and central Massachusetts out of poverty, according to Neal’s office.