Weymouth's Pave the Wey Road Infrastructure Program Moves into the Fast Lane for FY22
Mayor Hedlund's Pave the Wey road infrastructure and improvement program will be at the forefront of town-wide priorities and initiatives for fiscal year 2022. Pave the Wey launched in 2020, resulting in an investment of nearly $7.5 million in improvements on about 70,000 linear feet of sidewalks and roads throughout Weymouth.
Last year, Pave the Wey committed a total of $7,570,000 in infrastructure improvements that included the repaving of roads and repairing or reconstruction of sidewalks. This combination of funding provided for 44 paving projects throughout town. In addition, several municipal parking areas, basketball and tennis courts as well as walkways were paved and reconstructed. Combined with the 57 road segments completed in FY18 and FY19, the Administration has overseen 101 projects in the last three fiscal years.
In Late FY21 and into FY22, Mayor Hedlund is committing to an even greater investment in the road infrastructure, dedicating $1.1M in anticipated Chapter 90 funding, $4M in bond funds, and $3M in host community agreement funds for North Weymouth roads.
"Since coming into office in 2016, we have taken an aggressive approach to our town's capital needs," said Mayor Hedlund. "After investing millions in our town fields and outdoor facilities, finishing the new Tufts Library, and moving steadily along with the new Chapman construction, this year's priority will be on our road infrastructure."
Hedlund is proposing to make the road infrastructure initiative, Pave the Wey, even more impactful than last year by combining multiple funding sources including state Chapter 90 funds, CDBG funds, bond funds, and host community agreement funds to address many miles of road infrastructure improvements. This will increase the investment to nearly $30M since 2016.
Pave the Wey will focus the $8M in funding this year on some of the longer, more well-traveled roadways in addition to those side streets most in disrepair. The Mayor has prioritized Commercial Street and many of the accompanying ancillary side roads in poor condition.
Finally, the Pave the Wey program will dedicate host community agreement money to the infrastructure needs of North Weymouth. This funding will see through the repaving and reconstruction of roadways and sidewalks in numerous neighborhoods including along major roadways such as Green Street, Norton Street, and North Street.
The plan will be rolled out to the Town Council for consideration of the measures to authorize the use of $3 million in future free cash (host community agreement money later in 2021) and borrowing $4 million in late FY21 for the program. Pending Town Council approval, roadwork is slated to begin in the Spring of 2021.
Complete Press Release - PDF