The Baker-Polito Administration announced $5.54 million was awarded to 16 communities throughout Massachusetts as part of the Fiscal Year 2023 Round 1 of grants for the Complete Streets Funding Program.
These grant awards will be used by recipient municipalities to fund local multimodal infrastructure projects that improve travel for bicyclists, pedestrians, public transit users and people using other forms of transportation. This is the 13th overall grant round for this program since the administration launched the program in 2016.
“The Complete Streets Funding Program has now awarded over $83 million in total funding through 444 technical assistance and construction awards since 2016 to support municipalities in their ongoing efforts to improve their transportation infrastructure, build safe, convenient and easily accessible transportation networks and to facilitate economic development opportunities,” said Gov. Charlie Baker. “This program continues to advance mobility and connectivity throughout the commonwealth.”
Administered by MassDOT, the Complete Streets Funding Program aims to teach communities about complete streets and encourage the integration of complete streets into regular local planning practices. Since the launch of the Complete Streets Funding Program in 2016, 252 municipalities have worked through the program to adopt a local complete streets policy and 222 have advanced even further to develop an approved Complete Streets Prioritization Plan. A representative from each municipality registered with the program also attends a training course to learn about complete streets.
“MassDOT is pleased to continue to work with municipal leaders to encourage the installation of infrastructure to help make for ‘Complete Streets’ everywhere,” said Transportation Secretary and CEO Jamey Tesler. “We want everyone in every city and town in the commonwealth to have sidewalks, crosswalks and other features which make it easy and safe to get to where they want to go.”
Today’s announcement regarding the Complete Streets Funding Program provides funding to the following communities:
- Easthampton received $286,000 to improve crossing connections along Holyoke Street. Intersections will be upgraded to include ADA compliant curb ramps, rectangular rapid flashing beacons and high visibility pavement markings. Sidewalks will also be replaced or added along the north side of East Green Street and the south side of Allen Street.
- Franklin received $89,700 to install rectangular rapid flashing beacons at the Southern New England Trunk Line Trail crossing and at the existing crosswalk on Lincoln Street, as well as add bicycle parking in several locations.
- Gardner received $400,000 to install a multi-use path. The path will connect Gardner Veterans Arena along Crystal Lake to the existing National Grid Power Substation.
- Georgetown received $395,618 to install/improve rectangular rapid flashing beacons, speed feedback signs, crosswalk stripping and curb ramps along North Street.
- Holbrook received $398,807 for pedestrian improvements, rectangular rapid flashing beacons and street trees along North and South Franklin Streets.
- Holliston received $399,693 to install and repair sidewalks, curb ramps, crosswalks and rectangular rapid flashing beacons on Central Street, as well as install bicycle parking at Holliston Grill and place speed feedback signs on Woodland Street and Norfolk Street.
- Kingston received $399,599 to implement pedestrian improvements at the intersection of Route 106, Route 27 and Evergreen Street.
- Lincoln received $268,865 for an extension of a shared use path to a community farm along Codman Road.
- Milton received $277,577 for intersection improvements at the Brook Road, Central Avenue and Reedsdale Road intersection near Route 28.
- North Andover received $397,271 to reconstruct the intersection of Chadwick Street, High Street and North Street.
- Oxford received $224,000 to install sidewalks and ADA compliant ramps from Sigeorney Street to Freemont Street and reconstruct sidewalks on Main Street. Feedback signs will also be installed on Main Street and Sutton Avenue.
- Pepperell received $400,000 to add sidewalks, crosswalks, rectangular rapid flashing beacons and improve the overall geometry of the roundabout at Routes 111 and 113.
- Raynham received $400,000 for a shared use path with accessible ramps, crosswalks and rectangular rapid flashing beacons. The shared use path will provide pedestrian and bicycle access to the Raynham Senior Center, the Public Safety Building and the Borden Colony Play fields.
- Sandwich received $400,000 to resurface the intersection at Forestdale Road and Meetinghouse Road, to add bicycle lanes, reconstruct sidewalks and add countdown crosswalk signals.
- Taunton received $400,000 for improvements on Weir Street between First Street and Harrison Street. Improvements include the addition of painted bicycle lanes, road resurfacing and reconstructed sidewalks.
- Tewksbury received $400,000 to fill pedestrian network gaps between Fiske Street and Andover Street.
Approximately 60 percent of the total award dollars will fund projects located in environmental justice communities. Environmental justice communities are determined using U.S. Census data and are defined by the commonwealth as communities in which the median household income is equal to or less than 65 percent of the statewide median, 25 percent or more of the residents identify as a race other than white, or 25 percent or more of households have no one over the age of 14 who speaks English only or very well.
Municipalities may apply for up to $400,000 in construction project funding in one application. Examples of project elements that can be implemented through the program include sidewalks, multimodal paths, bicycle lanes, improved street lighting and pedestrian signalization at crosswalks or intersections.
