Revere will benefit from the more than $102 million the state was recently awarded for transportation infrastructure projects under federal funding programs from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Revere is slated to receive about $400,000 for its Walking to Wonderland Study, an initiative to create paved multi-use paths that connect residents. The study seeks local educational and workforce development opportunities, eliminating the east/west pedestrian and bicycle barriers created by high-speed highways.
The funding will also benefit projects in communities across the state, including Longmeadow, Adams, North Adams, Williamstown, Pittsfield, Southbridge, Quincy, Boston, and Somerville. Several grant awards have a statewide impact, including a $14.4 million grant from the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Program to deploy Electric Vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure at state-owned Park and Ride properties and Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) station parking lots. Other awards include
$17.3 million for the Ashuwillticook Trail in Berkshire County, which will fund planning and design of a nearly 10-mile pedestrian and cyclist path, and $2 million to reconnect neighborhoods at Boston’s Mattapan Square.
“Massachusetts leaders worked as a team to deliver these federal resources, and as a result, our roads will be safer, our communities more connected, and our air cleaner,” said Democratic Whip and Revere resident Katherine Clark. “In particular, I’m thrilled that Revere will receive $400,000 to help improve bike and walkways as part of the Walking to Wonderland Study – a critical project to better connect residents in and around our community. We will continue to find ways to bring home resources to Massachusetts that will grow opportunity and improve everyone’s quality of life.”
Governor Maura Healey said Massachusetts continues to bring home major federal dollars to make our roads, bridges, paths and rails more safe, reliable and connected.
“We’re so proud of MassDOT, the MBTA and municipalities across the state who put forward strong applications and won, often with the help of our team at the Office of Federal Funds and Infrastructure,” said Healey. “I’m grateful to the Biden-Harris Administration for their continued investment in transportation infrastructure across Massachusetts, as well as to our amazing Congressional delegation for their partnership.”
Revere Director of Planning and Community Development Tom Skwierawski said that due to its strategic location, Revere is disproportionately burdened by the traffic and safety impacts of regional roadways that cut through the city and divide its neighborhoods, making it virtually impossible to safely walk or bike from one neighborhood to the next.
“This study will allow us to design pedestrian-friendly improvements from the existing Revere High School thru to Wonderland and the Blue Line station,” he said. “Between the new high school, the Amazon facility, the Wonderland Commuter Rail stop, and the continued growth along the beach, it’s critical that we design a pedestrian-friendly connection that provides residents, visitors and workers with the ability to safely travel across the city without needing a car.”
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Original story HERE.