The House last week passed H.736, the annual transportation bill. The record $866 million “T-Bill” funds the Agency of Transportation’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The bill is now in the Senate.
Two years ago, the T-Bill was $641 million. Most of this year’s spending increase would pay the state’s share for an ambitious paving and construction plan funded about 4-1 by abundant federal money.
The T-Bill also funds programs to help lower- and moderate-income Vermonters buy electric or highly efficient cars and invests in EV charging equipment, walking and biking infrastructure, zero-fare transit, and the Mobility and Transportation Innovations Grant Program to quicken our transformation to a clean transportation system.
“The current investments in climate solutions are a necessary first step to advance the carbon reduction policies as required by the Global Warming Solutions Act,” Rep. Maxine Grad (D-Moretown) said in a constituent newsletter published today.
Notable highlights include:
- Funds to protect our covered bridges, with penalties and regulations to stop vehicle damage to these important landmarks;
- Improvements to the planning process for bike and pedestrian projects through innovative partnerships with the Regional Planning Commissions;
- Updates to the Transportation Board language, clean up and corrections to outdated statutes, and removal of unnecessary reporting requirements.
Vermonters can expect a busy construction season and a robust re-investment in the coming years for improved travel whether it be by car, bus, bike or foot.
(Editor: Much of the information and language for this news story was sourced from Rep. Grad’s column.)