Fall River committee withdraws resolution after MassDOT cleanup, state delegation pursues $13 million lighting project

The Fall River Committee on Public Works and Transportation voted to grant leave to withdraw a resolution asking the administration and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation to convene about maintenance of the Interstate 195 underpass beneath Government Center after State Representative Carol Faiola reported MassDOT had already taken cleanup steps and state lawmakers are working to secure funding for a larger lighting project.

The resolution, written by Councilor Raposo and adopted March 25, 2025, asked the committee to meet with MassDOT to discuss “what can be done to clean up this area” and requested a letter to the city’s state delegation advocating for further maintenance. Chair Dionne told the committee that “State representative Carol Faiola got involved, so we didn't have the need to have the meeting as everything was resolved.”

Councilor Raposo provided details at the meeting, saying, “There was some trash. There was some weeding that needs to be happened and some cleaning as well.” Raposo said Faiola contacted MassDOT District 5 in early March and that District 5 began “tackl[ing] the area as part of their seasonal effort,” working east from Somerset toward the Government Center tunnel. Raposo said Faiola shared before-and-after photos of the cleanup.

Raposo also told the committee there is a larger lighting project under discussion for the underpass. He said the lighting proposal is currently conceptual and not funded, and he gave an estimated cost of approximately $13,000,000. According to Raposo, Faiola and state Senator Rodricks are working with MassDOT to move the project toward funding.

After the update, Chair Dionne asked for a motion to grant leave to withdraw the resolution; a motion and second were made, and the committee approved the withdrawal by voice vote. No further formal action on the resolution was taken at the meeting.

The underpass beneath Interstate 195 at Government Center was described in the resolution as “poorly lit, unclean, not properly maintained,” and the committee record notes residents had expressed concern about the condition of this major entry point into Fall River. The committee’s withdrawal leaves continued cleanup and any capital funding for lighting to be pursued through the state delegation and MassDOT. No timeline for a funded lighting project was provided at the meeting.