The Fall River City Council Public Works and Transportation committee convened on May 13, 2025. After opening remarks and a roll call, the committee approved the minutes from January 21, 2025. The primary discussion centered on a resolution, authored by Councilor Raposo, concerning the poor condition and lack of maintenance of the Interstate 195 underpass beneath Government Center, a key entry point into the city. The resolution, which had been adopted on March 25, 2025, called for a meeting with the administration and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) to address the issues and advocate for cleanup. However, it was reported by Council Chair Dion and Councilor Raposo that State Representative Carol Fiola had already intervened. Representative Fiola contacted MassDOT District 5 in early March, leading to seasonal cleaning and weeding efforts in the underpass area. She also shared that a larger lighting project for the I-195 underpass, estimated at approximately $13 million, is in the conceptual stage. Representative Fiola and Senator Rodri are actively working with MassDOT to secure funding for this project. Given that the issues raised in the resolution were being addressed, the committee voted unanimously to grant leave to withdraw the resolution. The meeting then adjourned.
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Council
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My
0:23over.
0:27Hey. Hey.
0:32Hey hey hey hey hey.
1:06Hey pain.
1:22Public meeting on uh you know public works and transportation will commence. Clerk will call the role.
1:33Council here here. Dion here. Pursuant to the open meeting law, any person may make an an audio or video recording in this public meeting or may transmit the meeting through any medium.
1:46Attendees are therefore advised that such recordings or transmissions are being made whether perceived or unpersceived by those present and are deemed acknowledged and permissible. Number one on the agenda is citizens input. Nobody has signed up. Number two, the minutes from January 21st, 2025.
2:09Motion to approve. Second. All in favor?
2:12Motion carries. And the third thing was a resolution to convene with the administration and a representative of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation to discuss maintenance of the Interstate 195 underpass beneath government center and request that the state delegate delegation advocate for further cleanup of this area. It was adopted 325 2025. Resolution was written by councelor
2:38Raposo. Whereas there are growing concerns about the condition of the underpass, it goes under government center that is Interstate 195. And whereas this is a major entry point into the city of Fall River. And whereas the underpass is poorly lit, unclean, not properly maintained, and residents are concerned about the current condition of this key entry point. Now therefore be it resolved the committee on public
2:59works and transportation convene with a member of the administration representative from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and other interested parties to discuss what can be done to clean up this area of the city and be it further resolved that a letter be sent to our state delegation for purposes of advocating for further maintenance and cleanup of this area. So I'm just going to make a brief statement
3:21and then I will let councelor Leoso speak. Um, so no one is at the table because ultimately this this was taken care of. Uh, state representative Carol Fiola got involved. Um, so we didn't have the need to have to have the meeting as everything was resolved. And with that, I'll let council repos speak.
3:41Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, so yes, as councel Dion said, um, Rep. State Rep.
3:46Fiola did get involved with the conversation. She did reach out to me, um, to give a brief update, so I'll give it to the public's identification here.
3:53Um so there are a few issues that were involved. Um there was some trash, there was some weeding that needed to be happen and some cleaning as well. Um so state rep fiola indicated that in early March she had contacted Mass DOT District 5 who indicated they were working their way east from Somerset and would be ne next addressing the cleanliness and light replacement of the government center tunnel which is
4:15Interstate 195 east and west. Um they did tackle the area as part of their seasonal effort um commencing in the spring to do some of that weeding and cleaning up. Um she did share with me the before and after of some of that that's already happens. Uh the bigger part is the lighting project that's in place. Um there is a lighting project that has been discussed for district 5 under the underpass of 195 east west. Um
4:41the estimated cost of that project is approximately 13 million. Um but it is currently in the conceptual stage, not in the funded stage as of yet. So according to um state rep Fiola, her and Senator Rodri have been working with Mass DOT to try to move that to be a funded situation where they can get that lighting taken care of. Um but that is a work in progress currently, but it's important to note that the state
5:05delegation is involved to try to continue to move that area forward.
5:10Do you yield? I yield. Thank you.
5:13Any other further discussion? I will at this point accept a motion to grant leave to withdraw. So made second. All in favor? I. Motion passes. Motion to adjurnn. Second. All in favor? I. Motion passes. Meeting is adjourned. Thank you.