The U.S. Department of Transportation recently awarded Massachusetts more than $25 million in Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grants for three critical transportation projects.
A total of $22 million was awarded to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s (MBTA) Lower Broadway Everett Transit Priority Corridor Project, $2 million was awarded to the South Salem Train Stop Project, and $1.2 million was awarded to Gardner’s downtown.
The Lower Broadway Everett Transit Priority Corridor Project will build hybrid center-running bus lanes along the Lower Broadway corridor in Everett.
The project also includes improved pedestrian amenities, fully separated bicycle facilities, new bus stops, transit signal priority, and enhanced Americans with Disabilities Act amenities along the 1.2-mile Lower Broadway corridor.
The South Salem Train Stop Project will design and construct a second Commuter Rail station in the city. The proposed second stop would alleviate congestion at the current Salem station on the Newburyport/Rockport Line.
The city of Gardner will enhance parking and upgrade accessibility. The project is part of an effort to transform Gardner’s downtown into a multimodal transit hub with connections to the Montachusett Regional Transit Authority.
The RAISE program invests in surface transportation infrastructure with a significant local or regional impact.