Special to the Times
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is announcing 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 East Boston project on Saratoga Street was included as a recipient. 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.
“We are pleased to announce $6.5 million for municipalities and Regional Transit Authorities in the Shared Streets and Spaces Program,” said Transportation Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt.
“These grant awards will advance projects to help support safe travel for everyone, whether they are on foot, bike, transit or in an automobile and strengthen our municipalities across the state. We look forward to working with local leaders as they address the challenges and infrastructure needs in cities and towns and can help build projects which improve multimodality, accessibility, and safety.”
The Shared Streets and Spaces Program is a great resource for cities and towns to quickly fund shovel-ready and impactful projects,” said Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver. “We’re proud to work with our local partners on another round of Shared Streets and Spaces Program funding and look forward to seeing these projects get started.”
The scope of the $229,879.74 Eastie project includes installing 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.
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.