The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) recently announced the award of $6.5 million in funding to 28 municipalities and two Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs) as part of the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s Shared Streets and Spaces Program. The program provides project funding to help Massachusetts cities and towns design and implement changes to curbs, streets, and parking areas in support of public health, safe mobility, and community growth and revitalization.

Many of these improvement support communities working to become more age- and dementia friendly and the program awards priority to many types of projects, including those that benefit and support older adults.

The program encourages quick implementation of projects to improve plazas, sidewalks, curbs, streets, bus stops, parking areas, and other public spaces in support of public health, safe mobility, and strengthened commerce.

The following cities, towns, and Regional Transit Authorities have been awarded Shared Streets and Spaces grants for construction projects in this funding round.

• Acton received $187,450.00 to create and fund three years of a regional bikeshare program in the Towns of Acton, Concord, Lincoln and Maynard that will include seven stations for a total of forty-two bikes including seven adaptive bikes.
• Arlington received $244,833.44 to expand its Bluebikes bikeshare system with three additional eleven-dock stations and twenty-four bicycles as well as operating costs to support the total system.
• Ashland received $250,000.00 to install a sidewalk, ADA-compliant curb ramps, crosswalks, and signage from the Ashland Senior Center to the Ashland Middle School.
• Ayer received $200,000.00 to install new ADA-compliant curb ramps, sidewalk, bike lanes, and pavement marking improvements on Sandy Pond Road.
• Boston received $229,879.74 to install a new crossing island at the Saratoga Street crosswalk, raised side street crossings at Saratoga Street/Bayswater Street and Saratoga Street/Barnes Avenue, curb extensions at Saratoga Street / Barnes Avenue adjacent to the Orient Heights busway, all-way stop control at Barnes Avenue/Bayswater Street, and green infrastructure for stormwater management. Additionally, eighteen curb ramps will be reconstructed. Saratoga Street will feature continuous green bike lanes in both directions, a new bike crossing, dedicated left-turn area, and contraflow bike lane aligned with Barnes Avenue for access to Constitution Beach and the Greenway.
• Bridgewater received $250,000.00 to install new sidewalks, curbing, and crosswalks as well as to remove and replace sidewalk curbing at Burrill and School Streets.
• Brookline received $92,050.00 to install flex posts to protect existing bicycle lanes town-wide and to daylight pedestrian crossings along Harvard Street.
• Dedham received $248,128.86 to construct ADA accessible sidewalks and paths, protective curbing, bicycle racks, a water bottle filling station, and bus stop improvements for the Town Green project which aims to create outdoor programming space for civic gathering, events, and passive recreation in Dedham Square.
• Everett received $249,748.00 to support operating expenses for the existing six Bluebikes bikeshare stations as well as fund a modest expansion and replacement of some equipment including twenty-four bikes.
• Fitchburg received $246,816.56 to construct a bi-directional cycle track at roadway grade beginning at the existing northern terminus of the Twin City Rail Trail (TCRT) at 4th Street and extending north to 2nd Street along with the installation of signage and roadway striping.
• Framingham received $236,487.25 to install a new sidewalk, curbing, and ADA-compliant curb ramps on Salem End Road and Maynard Road in Framingham Center in addition to the purchase of two new sidewalk snow removal machines.
• Malden received $249,750.00 to construct a neighborhood pedestrian plaza in the Bell Rock neighborhood, new ADA-compliant curb ramps at seventeen intersections citywide, and to install crosswalks at fifty-nine locations citywide.
• Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) received $240,750.00 to modify an existing municipally owned median and make improvements to adjacent curb ramps and other infrastructure to support ADA-compliant bus stops. Additionally, modifications will be made to parts of Chelsea Street, Bennington Street, and Bremen Street in East Boston to provide new connectivity to Day Square for the Silver Line SL3 route and maintain reliable service for the 120 bus route.
• Medford received $247,537.08 to fund the operation costs of its Bluebikes bikeshare system as well as the addition of three new stations.
• Natick received $250,000.00 to install Rapid Rectangular Flashing Beacon (RRFB) signals at existing crosswalks at various locations in addition to curbing and concrete work to ensure ADA-compliance and associated work to maximize sight distances.
• Needham received $249,982.29 to construct a new bicycle lane, lane diet, high-visibility crosswalks, and a pedestrian refuge island at Warren Street. Additional enhancements include widening a sidewalk under the MBTA rail line, installing ADA-compliant curb ramps, a bicycle rack with repair station, and signage along Dedham Avenue from Lincoln Street to DeFazio Park beyond the rail bridge.
• Newton received $217,800.00 to fund the operational costs for more than 15 Bluebikes bikeshare stations.
• Orleans received $96,103.00 to install RRFBs, sidewalks, and signage along Main Street at the entrance of the Cape Cod Rail Trail (CCRT).
• Palmer received $208,710.25 to improve the PVTA public transit stop at Big Y on Thorndike Street with sidewalks, ADA-compliant curb ramps, signage, and pavement markings.
• Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA) received $250,000.00 to enhance transit access and infrastructure in Springfield, Holyoke, and Palmer. This includes installing ADA-compliant ramps, pavement markings, crosswalks, advanced warning symbols and signage, extending bus pads to streets, installing passenger benches, and extending sidewalks.
• Pittsfield received $235,000.00 to install a road diet along West Street from Valentine Road to the Government Drive / College Way split, ADA-compliant curb ramps, separated bike lanes, pavement markings, and RRFBs.
• Quincy received $250,000.00 to install a sidewalk as well as a bicycle lane and associated pavement markings between Hannon Parkway and Hancock Street.
• Salem received $250,000.00 to fund operational costs and replenish lost and damaged bicycles for its Bluebikes bikeshare program.
• Springfield received $240,144.53 to narrow State Street from four lanes to two lanes as well as install a crosswalk with a speed table and a High intensity Activated Cross Walk (HAWK) signal.
• Wakefield received $ 246,587.00 to realign the Oak Street, Green Street and Greenwood Avenue 5-way intersection and adjust curb lines to better define roadway alignment, remove significant portions of pavement, and create a new pocket park. In addition, pedestrian improvements are proposed within the project including the installation of new sidewalks within the intersection, crosswalks, new ADA-compliant curb ramps, an RRFB, and pavement markings.
• Ware received $ 249,946.33 to install sidewalks, ADA-compliant curb ramps, and crosswalks on East Main Street in Ware.
• Watertown received $146,520.00 to fund the operational costs of the Bluebikes bikeshare system.
• Westfield received $250,000.00 to extend sidewalks and bike lanes on Route 202 / Southwick Road as well as to construct a pedestrian crossing refuge, RRFBs, and pavement markings.
• Winchendon received $209,385.67 to install sidewalks at various locations to create safer connections to the Rail Trail, Ipswich Bus Stop, Winchendon Elementary School, Memorial Park, and the Council on Aging as well as ADA-compliant curb ramps, crosswalks, and a new bus stop at the intersection of Jackson Street and Ipswich Street.
• Yarmouth received $18,546.59 to install bike racks throughout The Riverwalk Park.