MassDOT Announces Shared Space Grant for Bluebikes in Everett

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, including a grant for BlueBike Stations in Everett.

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 the current winners have never received a Shared Streets and Spaces award before.

Together with Shared Winter Streets and Spaces grants made in December, the Commonwealth has invested $8 million in municipal Shared Streets projects so far. A total of $10 million has been allocated for this program.

The Shared Winter Streets and Spaces program provides grants as small as $5,000 and as large as $500,000 for municipalities to quickly launch changes for safer walking, biking, public transit, recreation, commerce, and civic activities. These improvements can be intentionally temporary or can be pilots of potentially permanent changes.  MassDOT is particularly focused on projects that respond to the current public health crisis and provide safe mobility for children, for senior citizens, to public transportation, and to open space and parks.

The details on the award for Everett include:

•Everett received $107,238.60 to add three new Bluebike stations to Everett’s existing 11-station network.  The new stations will connect the Wellington MBTA station to the rest of the Everett bikeshare system, provide additional coverage on the west side of Everett, and make connections to the Revere and Chelsea bikeshare systems and to the MBTA Silver Line and Commuter Rail station on Everett Avenue.