Select Board approves Chapter 90 plan, advances Royalston Road engineering funding

The Town of Templeton Select Board approved its FY26 Chapter 90 plan at the May meeting, authorizing a slate of road projects and setting aside funds to continue engineering on the long-running Royalston Road culvert/bridge project.

The approval matters because Chapter 90 is the state’s reimbursement program for municipal highway work; projects approved in the plan qualify for state reimbursement and influence the town’s position on the state Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). The board approved routine maintenance items (localized repairs, drainage, shimming, mill-and-overlay work), and allocated a portion of town funds and Chapter 90 balances toward engineering on Royalston Road so the project remains on the TIP list.

Public Services Director Bob Soucek reviewed the plan. He told the board the town’s FY26 Chapter 90 allocation was shown as $610,007.38 but is not final until July, and that the town could rely on a combined total near $1.3 million including unspent balances and fair-share deposits. The plan includes a proposed $411,000 from the town plus $69,000 already reserved to finish design engineering for Royalston Road; Soucek said completing the design should keep Royalston Road on the TIP for eventual construction. He described the Royalston Road project as “on the books” for many years and said current engineering steps do not include easement or title work.

Board members asked about account balances and reimbursements; Soucek explained that Chapter 90 reimbursements can lag because towns must first incur costs and then request state reimbursement. The board voted 4–0 with one abstention (Robert May abstained because he said the packet materials arrived late) to approve the Chapter 90 plan as presented.

Soucek said he would submit the approved plan to state channels and proceed with the engineering request documentation for Royalston Road.