Central Mass. communities awarded $3.4M for pedestrian, bicycle safety
Photo | Timothy Doyle
A Shrewsbury Street crosswalk in Worcester
Communities in Worcester County and neighboring MetroWest communities received $3.4 million in grants from the Massachusetts Shared Streets and Spaces Grant Program for improvements benefitting pedestrians, cyclists, and riders of public transportation.
Statewide, 138 municipalities and seven regional transit authorities received $16.4 million from the program this year. The program has awarded $50 million in grant funding since its creation in June 2020.
The funding is used for technical assistance and direct funding for construction projects such as crosswalks, curb cuts, and traffic calming measures. A portion is used to purchase equipment such as traffic feedback signs and snow removal equipment for pedestrian or bicycle infrastructure.
Fifteen Central Massachusetts communities received grants for construction projects to improve safety like sidewalks, crosswalks, curb ramps, and signage.
Fitchburg, Framingham, Leominster, Pepperell, North Brookfield, and Oxford all received approximately $200,000.
Millbury received $199,067 to improve connectivity and safety between its downtown and the Blackstone River Bike Path.
Worcester received $200,000 for LED installations to light sidewalks under three downtown railroad bridges on Green Street, Franklin Street, and Madison Street.
Other communities receiving construction grants are Auburn, Boylston, Dudley, Holden Holliston, West Brookfield, and the Franklin Regional Transit Authority.
Of 17 Central Massachusetts communities receiving grants for equipment, 10 will use the funds for snow removal equipment and seven will purchase speed feedback or messaging signs.
Worcester did not receive an equipment grant. WBJ reached out to the city for comment, but has not immediately received a response.
“With speeding and speeding-related crashes becoming more and more prevalent as we emerge from the pandemic, safety and driving at appropriate speeds has never been so important,” Transportation Secretary and MassDOT CEO Jamey Tesler said in the Tuesday announcement. “ Many of the projects funded in this grant round will make our streets safer for everyone, whether they are walking, bicycling, taking public transportation or driving.”
WBJ Web Partners
Most Recent
Most Recent
0 Comments