2/03/2021
Massachusetts Department of Transportation Boston The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is announcing the award of $3,236,762.78 in the third round of funding from the Baker-Polito Administration’s Shared Winter Streets and Spaces program. The program, which was launched on November 10, provides technical and funding assistance to help Massachusetts cities and towns conceive, design, and implement tactical changes to curbs, streets, and parking areas in support of public health, safe mobility, and renewed commerce, with a special focus on the particular challenges of winter. The awards made today will support 21 projects in 21 municipalities, of which 43% are designated Environmental Justice communities and 76% are considered high-risk for COVID-19 infections. Additionally, 62% of today’s winners have never received a Shared Streets and Spaces award before.
The Commonwealth’s two largest bikeshare systems are poised to expand further this summer, as Salem plans to join the Bluebikes system with eight new stations, and West Springfield joins the ValleyBike system.
In West Springfield, town officials in December announced plans to install their town’s first stations for the electric pedal-assist ValleyBike system. One station would be located on the town common next to the library, and a second station will be installed on Memorial Avenue near Union Street.
The latter location is in an area dominated by parking lots and strip malls, but it’s also next to two major supermarkets that serve thousands of households on both sides of the Connecticut River.