06/03/2026
***** District 5 City Councilor Vote Jose Rivera Gets It *****
After dealing with the previous self serving radical extremist chaos councilor for the last 4 years there is finally someone now in office willing to grind it out on the important district issues while representing everyone and not the select few.
WP101 will suggest to every city councilor consider a multi-year program where out of the $18,000,000 the city collects on average per year from the motor vehicle excise tax that $10,000,000 is set aside to go directly to street repairs.
These desperately needed funds can go a long way to repairing and resurfacing streets in each city district.
Presently all the mv excise taxes collected go directly into the general fund.
We have the resources to make this a priority but does the city have the kahonnas to actually fully address this issue head on or continue fumbling along with failed policies and measures...
The system is broken! Take a drive through Worcester and you will notice it right away. It is not just the occasional pothole. It is long stretches of roadway that are worn down, uneven, and in many cases getting worse faster than we can fix them.
This is not a current administration problem. It has been building for years due to lack of proper funding. Filling potholes is not enough. It is a short-term solution to a long-term problem. We need to focus more on full resurfacing and repaving, which lasts longer and gives taxpayers better value over time.
Right now, too many of our roads are in poor condition. Residents feel it every day when they drive, but this is not just about comfort. It is about safety. Emergency vehicles rely on our roadways to respond quickly. When roads are damaged or uneven, it can slow response times. That is not a minor issue. It can cost lives.
We also talk a lot about making our streets safer for everyone, including pedestrians and bicyclists. That is an important goal. But it starts with the basics. Safe streets begin with roads that are in good condition.
I appreciate that the City is already increasing its investment in road projects and sidewalks. That is a step in the right direction. But given the size of the backlog, we need to go further.
Right now, each district is allotted $400,000 a year for road projects. But we only get to pick every two years. That means $800,000 for literally dozens upon dozens of roads in need of repair. At the present rate of expenditure of road repair ($400,000 a year) and not adding one new road, it will take 150 years.
Currently, we are facing over $60 million in needed repairs, just in district 5 alone. Our infrastructure is aging, and we have not kept up with the level of investment required to maintain it. Worcester is growing. More people are moving here, and that is something to be proud of. But growth brings more traffic and more wear on our roads. If we do not act now, the problem will only get bigger and more expensive to fix.
That can’t even scratch the surface of the problem we face in Worcester, particularly when you consider that even one road project could exceed $1 million!
I am calling on the City Administration to continue to make road resurfacing a higher priority in our 2028 annual budget. We should be looking at every option available to increase funding.
That includes tapping into free cash and new growth where it makes sense. It also means exploring additional funding sources that can help us move faster. If we stay on our current path, we will continue to fall behind.
Investing in our roads is about more than infrastructure. It affects daily life in every neighborhood. It impacts how people get to work, how kids get to school, and how local businesses operate. It affects vehicle maintenance costs and overall safety.
There is also an equity issue. Every neighborhood deserves safe and reliable roads. We cannot allow some areas to fall further behind while others improve. A stronger investment helps ensure that all parts of the city are addressed.
There is also a financial reality we cannot ignore. Roads that are not maintained eventually require full reconstruction, which is far more expensive than resurfacing at the right time. Spending more now can save money in the long run. This is about setting priorities.
Worcester has a lot going for it. We are growing. We are investing. We are building momentum. But our infrastructure has to keep up with that progress. We know what needs to be done, so let’s continue to make it a priority. Our residents deserve roads that are safe, reliable, and built to last.
