The Massachusetts Department of Transportation has updated its Chapter 90 program web portal and released several informational resources related to the program for municipalities.

A new Municipal Guidance Document reviews eligible expenses under the program and details project planning and implementation processes that are considered best practices.

The document provides instructions for municipalities to use MaPIT, a GIS-driven project initiation and screening tool developed by MassDOT that will now support Chapter 90 project requests. MaPIT replaces paper-based Chapter 90 request forms, which have been transferred to this online system.

Another new resource is a toolkit designed to support local planning efforts. An Excel spreadsheet provides templates of the following documents:
• Annual Chapter 90 Checklist
• Asset Condition List
• Bridge Inventory List
• Infrastructure Budget
• Project Planning
• Project Prioritization Matrix (unweighted and weighted)

The MassDOT also developed a two-page Quick-Start Guide that briefly describes how the Chapter 90 funding allocation is calculated, what counts as eligible expenses, and how the program works.

The department notes that these new resources do not change any rules or regulations set forth for the Chapter 90 program and do not impact the funding authorizations established by the governor and the Legislature.

The Chapter 90 program (authorized through M.G.L. Ch. 90, Sec. 34) provides reimbursement funding to municipalities for the implementation of capital improvements on local public ways.