Program Guidelines

Overview and Purpose

The Public Works Economic Development (PWED) Program was created by the Legislature to assist municipalities in funding transportation infrastructure for the purpose of stimulating economic development. The PWED regulations (7.01 CMR 5.00 et seq.) are "designed to provide eligible municipalities with maximum flexibility and discretion as it relates to project development and implementation" (701 CMR 5.01), but vest in the Secretary of Transportation the responsibility for evaluating and selecting eligible projects that will facilitate economic growth consistent with applicable state policies (701 CMR 5.10). These Guidelines derive from the above cited regulations, and serve as a Program 'instruction manual'.

These Fiscal Year 2009 Guidelines are issued for the purpose of illustrating how the Public Works Economic Development (PWED) program will be administered as part of the Patrick Administration's efforts to champion sustainable economic development and job growth in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. From this Fiscal Year forward, the PWED Program will be designed and administered to more explicitly support the above objectives and will be closely aligned with other state priorities. The PWED program will continue to be a part of the Commonwealth Capital program for Fiscal Year 2009, and will be coordinated with other discretionary state spending programs that affect development patterns in Massachusetts. This coordination will allow the state to leverage investments, economic development, housing growth and environmental sustainability.

The Secretary will evaluate all PWED applications for consistency with the following objectives:

First, does the application meet the requirements of 701 CMR 5.00, et seq. and any subsequent Executive Orders that may be applicable? Does the application provide all necessary and relevant information? Is the information clearly presented and current? Are cost estimates accurate and is project need the conclusions well documented?
Second, what economic benefits will the project generate? Using the criteria set forth in 701 CMR 5.09 and any subsequent Executive Orders that may be applicable, will a PWED grant to a municipality for the purpose stated in the application create or retain jobs and increase local tax revenues, particularly where most needed? Will state's investment leverage an investment by other public sector interests?
Third, would a PWED grant for a particular project support other state priorities for transportation, housing, energy or others as set forth in the revised Sustainable Development Principles? Is the project supportive of policies and programs administered by the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development and the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs?

Example policies include, but are not limited to, the following:

Will the proposed project improve mobility as part of a balanced and multimodal transportation system?
Will the project stimulate development within city or town centers, on brownfields or underutilized commercial or institutional land, or as part of a transit-oriented development?
Will the project advance energy efficiency, conservation or resource development?

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