A $16.5 billion transportation bond bill was passed in the state legislature, and the Tri-Town will reap some of the benefits. 

The final legislation authorized Mass Department of Transportation to expend funds on a number of local Tri-Town projects, including $500,000 for improvements at the North Street intersection with Route 195 in Mattapoisett, $725,000 for new traffic lights and signals on Route 6 in front of Mattapoisett's police and fire stations, $400,000 for improvements at the intersection of Route 6 and Spring Street in Marion, and $1,350,000 for the development of shared-use paths in Marion and Wareham. 

“After extensive negotiations, I am pleased that the House and Senate were able to reach an agreement on a comprehensive transportation bill that not only allows the state to continue to focus on its state of good repair needs but will authorize funding for other major local projects such as the completion of South Coast Rail ($825 million) which is already under construction to New Bedford and Fall River and the initial design and permitting of a replacement for the New Bedford-Fairhaven Bridge on Route 6," said Representative Bill Straus of Mattapoisett in a press release. 

The legislature also enacted a local Mattapoisett bill on Jan. 4 filed by Representative Straus at the town's request. The bill would permit the town to properly assess commercial solar installations as taxable property. The bill had been passed by the House last February and was taken up by the State Senate in the final days of the two year session for the legislature. 

With further regard to the Mattapoisett solar legislation, Kathleen Costello, the Town's property assessing administrator noted that the bill provides a streamlined way to verify energy producing capacity in town-located solar arrays and promotes fair and equitable taxation of those commercial properties.

"I and the town very much appreciate the efforts of Rep. Straus to get this long needed legislation passed for Mattapoisett," she said in the press release.