Delayed State Aid Stalling Swampscott Road Repairs

A delay in the allocation of state aid for road repairs is creating hardship in Swampscott and elsewhere — and the widespread hardship could result in a shortened paving season.

Swampscott Town Administrator Tom Younger and Public Works Director Gino Cersta said the $302,863 the town expects from the state in road repair funding, called Chapter 90 funding, is hung up in the senate.

The money was tied to a $1.5 billion transportation bill, as of late last week, the town administrator said at the time.

That delay has consequences for Swampscott's roads, some of which have considerable repair needs.

"We may end up with a shortened construction season," the town administrator said.

There are projects the town wants to get started on but cannot because the town has yet to receive letters of authorization from the state to award contracts and expend the funds.

The town typically receives authorization in April, he said.

Local officials met with the Lt. Governor early last week to request that elected officials move on the Chapter 90 funding, part of the state's Fiscal 2013 budget.

Other towns in the commonwealth face the same hardship, he said.

Smaller towns with smaller budgets are particularly influenced by the delay because they do not have the money to appropriate for road contracts, he said.

Ordinarily the town would have awarded paving contracts by now.

But since the state funding for road repairs has been held up, Swampscott and other towns have been unable to award contracts.

This wide delay could lead to a scramble for services and a shortened paving season in a town where roads need repairs.

There are projects we want to get started,  Younger said.