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Weymouth Awarded a $295K Grant for Traffic and Pedestrian Improvements

The Town received a MassDOT Complete Streets Construction Grant that will result in improvements at 3 intersections, a new bus shelter, and 12 new bike racks.
Posted on: January 21, 2020 - 9:48am
complete streets program

MassDOT awarded Weymouth nearly $300,000 through the Complete Streets program as part of its competitive FY20 Tier 3 construction grant funding. The Town requested funding for traffic, roadway, and pedestrian improvements based on the Complete Streets Prioritization Plan established in 2016. Complete Streets are rights of way that provide safe and accessible options for people of all ages and abilities and all modes of travel.

The FY20 award will provide for the following improvements:

  • Construction of a bus shelter at the MBTA Bus Stops located at Pearl Street (opposite Sea Street) and Pleasant Street at Colonels Drive
  • Installation of speed monitoring displays at the Union Street intersection near Russell Road
  • Installation of 12 bike racks at locations including: Jackson Square, Weymouth Landing, and Whitman’s Pond
  • Improvements to the existing crossing at the Post Office on Washington Street in Weymouth Landing, including a bulbout, ramp, warning panels, restriping, and rapid flashing beacons
  • Installation of two rapid flashing beacons at the crossing located on Broad Street near Jimmy’s Diner, including a relocation of the crosswalk and curb extensions for enhanced pedestrian safety

“Weymouth committed to the Complete Streets program in 2015 to make the Town more pedestrian friendly. Since that time we have invested over $400,000 in combined grant and local funding to create and implement our prioritization plan,” said Mayor Hedlund. “This most recent award will provide for improvements at intersections that have been dangerous for pedestrians to cross as well as create more commuter and bike-friendly amenities in Town.”

The total grant award through the Tier 3 Program is $295,106 and can be used for construction related expenses, police details, and a portion of the project engineering/design costs. Additional project costs will be covered by local match funding equal to about $13,500, and about $4,000 in Chapter 90 funding – the state program that reimburses cities and towns for capital improvements such as highway construction, preservation, and improvement projects.

In 2015, the Weymouth Planning Board and Board of Zoning Appeals adopted the Complete Streets Policy. The policy was ranked the nation’s fourth best that year by Smart Growth America’s National Complete Streets Coalition, which evaluated all 82 Complete Streets policies passed throughout the country. Weymouth’s policy was approved by MassDOT in February of 2016, and the Town received a $46,088 technical assistance award to develop its Prioritization Plan.

Since its adoption, the Town received $386,645 in Tier 3 construction funding and has completed projects such as installation of rapid flashing beacons at crosswalks, bus shelters, accessible curb ramps at crosswalks, and driver speed feedback signs. This latest award will bring investment in infrastructure improvements to over $700,000.  

For more information on the Complete Streets Program, visit https://www.weymouth.ma.us/planning-community-development/pages/complete-streets-funding-program or contact the Department of Planning and Community Development at 781-340-5015.