By JEFF TIRRELL
(BOSTON) — Governor Charlie Baker today announced that the state is nearly doubling funding from the Shared Streets and Spaces Program, which was originally unveiled earlier this summer in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The funding is designed to help communities with various logistical issues related to the pandemic.
Among the local communities receiving funding is Greenfield, which received $66,018 to support restaurants by implementing outdoor dining at seven locations and temporarily closing certain streets for use by pedestrians only. Shelburne is getting $6,048 to improve safety for school children by installing solar-powered pedestrian safety beacons at the Mechanic Street/Grove Street intersection adjacent to the Buckland Shelburne Elementary School.
he Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s Shared Streets and Spaces quick-launch/quick-build grant program will provide grants as small as $5,000 and as large as $300,000 for cities and towns to quickly implement or expand improvements to sidewalks, curbs, streets, on-street parking spaces and off-street parking lots in support of public health, safe mobility, and renewed commerce in their communities.