BOSTON – State Auditor Suzanne Bump’s recently released report of infrastructure in Western Massachusetts highlights problems and deficiencies from crumbling roads, bridges and culverts to the still unfulfilled demand for high speed internet service for every community.

These issues are affecting economic development in the four western counties, she wrote.

In her introduction, Bump write “Aging and declining populations, stagnant or decreasing property values, increased education costs, and statewide policies that benefit urban areas all serve to disadvantage the largely rural areas in Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, and Hampshire Counties. Small municipal staffs without professional engineers, grant writers, or planners are challenged to pursue funding for infrastructure, and state eligibility requirements or formulas make them ineligible for certain funds altogether.”

With pandemic relief money now in place on the state-level – but not yet completely allocated – Bump added, “With the possible infusion of federal investments, and a greater state-level focus on infrastructure issues, now is an opportune time to take stock of where investments are most needed in Western Massachusetts and where infrastructure policies in place can be improved to even the playing field for municipalities in that region of the commonwealth.”

Bump is calling for action on three key points in her report:
• “The Chapter 90 Program needs additional funding and formula reform. Repair and replacement of small bridges and culverts need more funding and attention. The Small Town Road Assistance Program requires greater funding and modification.”
• “The Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) needs to continue to work with networks to make broadband cost effective for areas and customers who currently do not have it, in particular the nine communities for which MBI has not yet provided it. This work should continue at all deliberate speed.”
• “Create a public infrastructure authority to assist communities with renovation or replacement of municipal buildings.”

“Lack of infrastructure investment undermines businesses and economic development, “ Bump concluded.

The report noted, “Poorly maintained roads, water main breaks that damage property and inhibit traffic, municipal buildings with leaking roofs and poor ventilation, and police and fire facilities inadequate for helping the public or maintaining safety—these are all examples of challenges caused by inadequate investment in public infrastructure. There is a recognized relationship between the equitable distribution of high quality public infrastructure and the improvement of living standards. The investment itself acts as a direct economic stimulus and counteracts potential harms that come from lack of infrastructure development, such as lower productivity and reduced economic efficiency.”

The American Society of Civil Engineers noted in its Massachusetts Infrastructure Report Card, “Driving on roads in need of repair in Massachusetts costs each driver $620 per year, and 9 percent of bridges are rated as structurally deficient. Drinking water needs in Massachusetts are an estimated $12.2 billion. At least 328 dams are considered to be high-hazard potential. The state’s schools have an estimated capital expenditure gap of $1.39 billion. This deteriorating infrastructure impedes Massachusetts’s ability to compete in an increasingly global marketplace.”

The reports notes that although improvement has been accomplished in the broadband issue, there is still work to be done extending the serve to nine communities and also improving the speed of the service.

For example, the reports pointed out, “Franklin County as a whole sees average speeds of 109.7 Mbps, the slowest for any county in the state, though this situation may improve as some communities build out municipal fiber networks. However, this speed and access will come at a cost. Despite state and federal funding, the towns that built municipal fiber networks have made significant local investments to bring last mile broadband to their residents. This includes outstanding bonds through programs such as the State House Notes Program. Many municipalities felt this financial risk was their only option recognizing that lack of broadband makes economic development and reversal of declining population trends impossible.”

As far as bridges are concerned, the four western counties have a higher percentage than the rest of the state for bridges rated as “poor.”

“Based on data from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)’s National Bridge Inventory, Massachusetts has 5,210 bridges owned by local and state government. Of these, 1,321 are rated in ‘good’ condition, 3,418 are rated ‘fair,’ and 471 are rated ‘poor,’ using a seven-point scale performance metric designed by FHWA for bridge condition. This scale rates the structure of bridges on a number of criteria, including how much of the surface is cracked, how much of the surface is ‘rutted’ based on usage, and how much the structure has ‘faulted’ or moved in inches from its original position. Of the 1,432 bridges in Western Massachusetts (27.48 percent of the state’s total), 61.96 percent are rated as ‘fair’ and 9.35 percent as ‘poor.’”

The status of pubic buildings is also an issue. “One area that is a prominent cause of concern for legislators is funding for public safety buildings. In many Western Massachusetts communities, police and fire departments have had to deal with inadequate buildings because of a lack of funding,” the study reported.

The report noted the relationship between small towns and budget allocations: “As Western Massachusetts has many roadway miles, but fewer people and jobs, municipalities in the region do not get monetary relief in amounts close to their infrastructure needs. This situation results in stark trade-offs among critical infrastructure needs and scarce local resources.”

The report noted, “The Division of Local Mandates (DLM) sent a survey in late 2020 to all 101 communities in Western Massachusetts. Responses were received from 45 communities and show a deep need for continuing investment in infrastructure and a lack of sufficient resources to meet that need. Respondents indicated shortfalls in investment across all the areas of the survey, such as general municipal buildings, public safety, roads (including bridges and culverts), and senior centers. Respondents graded the state of their infrastructure in various categories and were asked to supply comments related to each category. The scale ran from ‘A’ to ‘F’ with ‘A’ being highly rated and ‘F’ as total failure. Every community, except for eight, gave a grade of D or F to at least one category of infrastructure.”

To read the entire 105-page report, go to https://www.mass.gov/news/study-shows-western-mass-communities-have-long-suffered-from-inadequate-support-to-maintain-and-develop-public-infrastructure.