Massachusetts Wins More Than $102 Million for Transportation Infrastructure Projects
Federal grants include $43 million for McGrath Highway in Somerville, $14.4 Million for Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure, $5.2 million for railroad crossing safety improvements, and $2 million for station improvements at JFK/UMass in Boston
Boston — The Healey-Driscoll Administration and Massachusetts Congressional Delegation are celebrating that Massachusetts has won more than $102 million for transportation infrastructure projects under federal funding programs from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The funding will benefit projects in communities across the state, including Longmeadow, Adams, North Adams, Williamstown, Pittsfield, Southbridge, Quincy, Boston, Somerville and Revere. 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 continues to bring home major federal dollars to make our roads, bridges, paths and rails more safe, reliable and connected,” said Governor Maura Healey. “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. 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.”
“We’ve been working hard across our administration to prepare winning applications that will secure federal funding for our communities. We’re proud that our administration and several municipalities are receiving millions of dollars to make road safety improvements for all travelers, rebuild highway assets, repair public transportation hubs, and to increase safety around railroad grade crossings,” said?Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll.?“These grant awards help us build out our transportation network to make the statewide system safer and more accessible, underscoring that Massachusetts continues to position itself to be a leader in modernizing its travel network.”
“From Pittsfield and North Adams to Mattapan and Revere, it’s all aboard a transportation network that serves everyone in our Commonwealth,” said Senator Edward J. Markey. “With this latest round of historic awards from the Biden-Harris administration, Massachusetts continues to lead and deliver on securing federal funding for transportation projects that will make our communities safer, more accessible, better connected, and sustainable for decades to come. I am proud to have championed this funding in the Senate, and I am grateful for our shared, unwavering advocacy on behalf of these projects with the Healey-Driscoll administration, the federal Congressional delegation, and our state, municipal, and nonprofit partners.”
“This over $100 million federal investment is a big win for Massachusetts. Whether you walk, bike, drive, or take the T, this federal support will make travel safer and more reliable, connect neighborhoods, and make our statewide infrastructure more sustainable,” said Senator Elizabeth Warren. “Massachusetts leaders worked together to secure this major funding, and we’ll keep fighting to bring home investments for communities across the Commonwealth."
“As we begin the new year, we are leaving off right where we were in 2024 – announcing millions of dollars to improve our infrastructure throughout the Commonwealth. This is the direct result of our efforts at the federal level to pass a once-in-a-generation investment in our nation’s roads, bridges, airports, clean water, and public transportation,” said Congressman Richard Neal. “I am thrilled that the First District will be receiving more than $27 million in this latest allotment, supporting projects from Berkshire County to Worcester County. Having served as Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee when the legislation was drafted, it is with great satisfaction that I join my colleagues in federal, state, and local government in celebrating yet another significant announcement.”
“Bringing federal dollars home to Massachusetts is a top priority for our Congressional delegation, and these grants are a powerful example of what we can achieve when we work together,” said Congressman Jim McGovern, Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee. “House Democrats fought hard to pass transformative bills to update America’s transportation networks and build more clean, green, safe, accessible travel options for everybody. Now, we’re seeing that vision come to life here in Massachusetts. I’m proud to partner with the Healey-Driscoll Administration to deliver these critical investments, which will create good-paying jobs, advance clean energy solutions, and improve the quality of life for families across the Commonwealth.”
"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 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.”
"These federal investments will help us build safer, greener, and more efficient infrastructure -- essential to our success as a state and for everyone who calls the Commonwealth home,” said Congressman Seth Moulton. “I'm grateful for the continued partnership of Governor Healey and my colleagues in the delegation and will keep working to secure more federal funding to help us meet our infrastructure goals."
“For years, we’ve been fighting hard for robust federal investments to make McGrath Highway safer for drivers, bikers, and pedestrians alike, and this massive new grant will help us do just that,” said Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Co-Founder of the Future of Transportation Caucus. “I’m grateful for the leadership and partnership of the Healey-Driscoll Administration, Biden-Harris Administration, the MBTA, and our municipalities. These federal dollars, along with the new federal funding for electric vehicle charging, improvements at the JFK/UMass T stop, and more, will collectively make our communities more connected and our transportation systems more safe, accessible and sustainable for folks in the Massachusetts 7th."
"Congress creates these federal funding opportunities, but the hard work of applying for - and winning - these competitive grants is left to the states. Today's news of an additional $100 million in federal funds coming to Massachusetts is a direct result of the leadership of the Healey-Driscoll administration in creating the Federal Funds & Infrastructure Office, and I look forward to continuing to work with the administration and my colleagues in the federal delegation as we work together to make it easier for residents across the Commonwealth to get where they need to be," said Congressman Bill Keating.
The federal grant awards being announced total more than $102 million dollars and include the following:
• More than $43 million for the McGrath Boulevard Project in Somerville, which will reconnect neighborhoods bifurcated by McGrath Highway by replacing the viaduct with new street-level bike and pedestrian infrastructure, providing safe access to schools, jobs, parks, businesses and other critical destinations.
• More than $17 million to support expansion of the Ashuwillticook Trail in Berkshire County by funding the design of a five component, nearly 10-mile off-road shared use path. This path will connect residents and visitors to an array of cultural and community assets in North Adams, Adams, and Williamstown, a network of public hiking trails in the surrounding forestlands, recreation opportunities along the Hoosic River, and the regional shared use paths to the north and south.
• More than $14.4 million from the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program for MassDOT and the MBTA to install approximately 458 Level 2 charging ports and 14 Level 3 charging points at approximately 30 locations across Massachusetts.?The chargers will be installed at the state’s Park and Ride properties and MBTA station parking lots.
• More than $10 million for the City of Quincy for the Southern Artery, (Route 3-A) Multi-Modal Transportation Project, an initiative to make Complete Streets improvements to approximately 0.5 miles of the Southern Artery from Sea Street/Coddington Street to Pond Street.
• Almost $7.9 million for Southbridge for the Hamilton Street Transportation Project to fund the construction of Complete Streets improvements along approximately 0.8 miles of Hamilton Street from Main Street to Hook Street.
• More than $4 million for the MBTA’s High-Risk Grade Crossing Elimination Master Plan initiative, which will have the MBTA evaluate 52 high-risk, high-priority pedestrian and roadway grade crossings throughout the greater Boston regional rail network.
• Approximately $2 million to the City of Boston to reconnect two long-separated sides of the neighborhood of Mattapan, connecting them to natural resources, and to multimodal transportation networks.
• Approximately $2 million to the MBTA for the JFK/UMASS Station Redesign & Replacement Project?which will bring the station into a state of good repair, increase accessibility, enhance environmental resiliency, and improve connectivity to Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood.
• Approximately $1.6 million for Pittsfield to create a comprehensive plan to remove an arterial interchange in the community which splinters the west side from downtown and restore the urban fabric in the municipality.
• Approximately $1.2 million for Longmeadow’s Passive Crossing Improvement Project, which supports grade crossing related improvements on Amtrak-owned infrastructure.
• Approximately $400,000 to Revere for its Walking to Wonderland Study, an initiative to create paved multi-use paths that connect residents to local educational and workforce development opportunities, eliminating the east/west pedestrian and bicycle barriers created by high-speed highways and commuter
“MassDOT has been intentional in taking steps toward creating carbon-free transportation infrastructure and updating transportation infrastructure to increase safety, and we are proud to have won these federal grants,” said?Transportation Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt.? “The Healey-Driscoll administration is committed to decarbonization goals and building out a transportation network to serve everyone, whether they travel on foot, by bicycle, by vehicle, or by public transportation.”??
“It is because of the hard work across the MBTA that our projects are well positioned to be strong candidates for every federal dollar available. I’m proud of the team’s efforts that have resulted in strong applications in pursuit of every federal dollar possible. I’m grateful for our partners at the federal level both in the Region and in DC, which all support our wider goals of safety, accessibility, reducing our carbon footprint, and connecting communities,”?said MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng. “Under the leadership of the Healey-Driscoll Administration, we will continue to be aggressive in seeking all available federal funds, which are a critical part of our long-term efforts to deliver safe, reliable, and improved transit for the public. Thank you to the Healey-Driscoll Administration, Secretary Tibbits-Nutt, the congressional delegation, local officials, and the many riders who will benefit from these upcoming enhancements to our system.”
“These federal grants will enable a terrific slate of projects that will benefit the transportation systems in communities across the state, from the Berkshires to Boston," said Director of Federal Funds and Infrastructure Quentin Palfrey. "We look forward to continuing our whole-of-government approach to compete for federal funding and bring more federal investment to communities across Massachusetts.”
The Healey-Driscoll Administration has secured more than $9 billion in federal funding grants since taking office. Federal funding grant awards won by Massachusetts have included more than $1.72 billion to replace the Cape Cod Bridges, $472 million for the MBTA’s North Station Draw One Bridge Replacement Project, $335.4 million to advance the design and construction of the I-90 Allston Multimodal Project, $145 million award towards West-East rail, $249.4 million for the MBTA in discretionary grant funding, and a $116 million grant for the MBTA’s purchase of battery-electric buses. For information on grant opportunities, please visit the website of the Federal Funds & Infrastructure Office.