Senator Eldridge Secures $70,000 in ARPA Funds for Collapsed Culvert in Southborough
The funding will allow Northboro Road to reopen to the public
Southborough, MA - State Senator Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton) has secured $70,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to repair the collapsed culvert in Southborough that is currently forcing the closure of Northboro road. The Massachusetts State Senate on Wednesday unanimously passed a $3.82 billion bill that directs federal ARPA funding to assist the ongoing recovery in Massachusetts, with a particular focus on making equitable investments and ensuring that communities disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic are prioritized. Using this framework, the bill delivers targeted, transformational support to critical sectors such as health care, mental and behavioral health, housing security, environment, and workforce development. Among these priorities, repairing damaged and aging infrastructure is of great importance.
“Southborough has had previous difficulties with this culvert and has attempted lower cost temporary solutions, which unfortunately haven’t been successful,” said Senator Eldridge. “This funding will ensure that the culvert can be repaired immediately, and should provide a permanent solution to this vexing problem. I’m thankful for the cooperation of the State Senate, Senate President Karen Spilka, and Senate Ways and Means Committee Chairman Michael Rodrigues for their help in passing funding for this local priority.”
“We greatly appreciate the tireless efforts of Senator Eldridge and his staff in advocating for our town during this budget process, and we look forward to repairing this element of our aging infrastructure,” said Andrew Dennington, Southborough Select Board Member.
Ensuring that our roads and bridges are in good condition is vital to protecting our safety and wellbeing. Furthermore, our infrastructure must be as ready as possible to handle the greater weather variability and shifting rainfall patterns associated with climate change. Repairing the Northboro road culvert is an important step in increasing Southborough’s climate resilience.
With both the House and Senate having passed their own versions of ARPA spending plans, the two bills must now be reconciled before heading to the Governor’s desk.
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