Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray today joined MassDOT Secretary and CEO Richard A. Davey in Springfield to award $1.35 million in reimbursements to the City to fund essential storm damage repairs following the June 1, 2011 tornado.
The funds for Springfield are part of $3.9 million in federal emergency funds available to reimburse eight communities for the cost of emergency repairs associated with the June 2011 storms. The funds supported rebuilding of roads, sidewalks and debris removal.
Springfield is the first community to receive its award. Reimbursement funding to Monson and Wilbraham is expected to be released in the coming days for emergency work on the following roadways:
- Monson: $519,000- Ely Road, High Street, Main Street, Hampden Upper, Wilbraham Road
- Wilbraham: $956,000- Main Street, Stony Hill Road, Tinkham Drive, Rochford Drive
Communities working to complete the reimbursement process include:
- West Springfield: $200,000- Union Street and Main Street
- Brimfield: $449,000- Holland Road, East Brimfield Road, Warren Road, Main Street
- Southbridge: $150,000- Pleasant Street/Airport Access Road
- Sturbridge: $172,000- Fiske Hill Road
- Westfield: $70,000- Shaker Road, Pontussic Road
In addition to reimbursements for emergency repairs, MassDOT and transportation partners on behalf of the Patrick-Murray Administration initiated efforts on numerous fronts to respond to the storm:
- MassDOT crews offered direct support beginning in the first hours following the storms on June 1, 2011.
- More than 20 MassDOT Highway employees from the Springfield-Northampton and Worcester areas provided emergency response including tree removal crews in Brimfield, Monson, and Palmer and more than a dozen dump trucks, front end loaders, chain saws and other equipment critical to the initial clean-up activities.
MassDOT Registry of Motor Vehicles offered western Massachusetts residents who lost their driver’s license or Massachusetts ID in the storm an opportunity to apply for a free duplicate. Governor Deval Patrick ordered that the $25 fee associated with duplicate IDs and license be waived during the month of June 2011 for residents living in the communities impacted by the storms.
Massport in 2011 donated approximately $300,000 in windows, doors and other building materials to the Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity. The building materials were unused from the Boston Logan Residential Soundproofing Program. Habitat for Humanity says at least 25 families whose homes were damaged in the storms received the materials to assist in home repair.
I am glad some places are getting proper relief funding. Some area are not getting much at all.
Posted by: Jason | September 07, 2012 at 05:03 PM
What was going to happen to the building materials had the tornado not happened?
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Massport would have continued to store them for potential future use in new construction projects and with the approval of the FAA.
Posted by: Kathy Stevens | June 01, 2012 at 10:50 AM