Senate Majority Leader Frederick E. Berry (D-Peabody) and Representative Joyce Spiliotis (D-Peabody) announced today that the Massachusetts legislature has authorized the expenditure of $150,000 to make improvements to Route 114 between Violet Road and Margin Street. The authorization, which amends a previously enacted transportation bond bill, was passed as an outside section of a supplemental budget.

In making the announcement, Senator Berry said, “Improvements to this section of Route 114 are long overdue. This is a state highway and it’s the state’s responsibility to maintain it. Hopefully Governor Romney will agree by signing this authorization and providing the funding for it.”

Representative Spiliotis added, “This funding has been one of my priorities since taking office last January. This is a public safety issue. Anyone driving this stretch of road on a regular basis knows improvements need to be made.”

The spending authorization was included in a supplemental budget passed today by both the Senate and House of Representatives. Both versions of the bill included the spending authorization for the Route 114 improvements. The bill will be sent to Governor Romney for his signature once a legislative conference committee has resolved other differences in the two bills. Once the Governor receives the bill he will have ten days to review the spending authorization for Route 114. He can either sign it or veto it. If the Governor does sign the authorization, he must still release the funding to pay for the authorized improvements.