The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has awarded nearly $1.2 million in the final round of funding from the Baker-Polito Administration's Shared Streets & Spaces program. The program, which was launched on June 10, provided technical and funding assistance to help Massachusetts cities and towns conceive, design and implement tactical changes to curbs, streets, on-street parking spaces and off-street parking lots in support of public health, safe mobility and renewed commerce. With the award of this final round of funding, the program will have given out a total of $10.2 million to fund 124 projects in 103 municipalities across the commonwealth, of which 60 percent are Environmental Justice communities.
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and Secretary Stephanie Pollack visited Essex Street in Salem to highlight the implementation of two grant awards through the Shared Streets and Spaces Program. Salem has implemented expanded sidewalks and safety measures on Essex Street and shared streets and safe routes to school including the addition of protected bicycle lanes and new shared street signage.
"Many communities have demonstrated their creativity to create safe spaces for outdoor dining, safe connections to businesses and workplaces and expanded space for all transit optionsfrom buses to bikes through the Shared Streets and Spaces grant program," said Gov. Baker. "We are pleased that these grants can provide safe and responsible improvements while helping to stimulate our businesses and help people feel more comfortable moving about safely."
This new round will provide $1.18 million to projects in 17 municipalities, of which 65 percent are Environmental Justice communities.
"Now more than ever, it's important to continue to support small businesses and restaurants which make up the fabric of our communities by shopping and dining locally," said Lt. Gov. Polito. "We will continue to work with our partners at the local level and support the needs of all 351 of Massachusetts cities and towns."
A total of 304 applications were submitted by 279 municipalities, for a total of $34 million requested.
"The Baker-Polito Administration's Shared Streets and Spaces Emergency Grant Program has held an overwhelming response from cities and towns," said Transportation Secretary and CEO Pollack. "This program has really stretched our thinking about how all of us can work together to make our streets, sidewalks and parking areas serve as many diverse purposes as possible for as many different kinds of needs as possible."
The list of cities and towns awarded Shared Streets & Spaces grants in the final round of funding rounds are as follows:
Types of projects funded by the Shared Streets & Spaces program included
The Baker-Polito Administration launched the Shared Streets & Spaces program to support quick-build projects that can bring meaningful benefits to cities and towns. The program is modeled after the administration's Complete Streets Funding Program, created in February 2016, which, as of January 2020, has awarded a total $46 million to cities and towns for municipal projects improving infrastructure to improve safety for pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and public transportation customers. The administration included $20 million for the Complete Streets Program as part of the administration's $18 billion transportation bond bill which was filed in July 2019.
Originally posted here:
MassDOT announces more than $1 Million in final round of Shared Streets & Spaces Grant Program - MassTransitMag.com
