Beverly To Use $86K Grant On Downtown Traffic-Calming Program

BEVERLY, MA — Beverly will implement a pilot traffic-calming project designed to make things safer for pedestrians and bikers downtown and improve accessibility near Beverly Depot Station with a portion of an $85,965 Shared Streets and Spaces Program Grant.

Beverly also plans to supplement last year's investment in artwork and temporary outdoor dining concrete barriers with planters, plants and soil to make outdoor dining a better experience.

"This grant award will enable the city to continue to support local restaurants during this challenging economy by making additional improvements to the outdoor dining environment on public streets," Planning and Community Development Director Darlene Wynne said. "We'll also
be able to test out pedestrian improvements around the Depot and more safely connect downtown to the train station."

The grant was part of recent Shared Streets and Spaces awards from the state Department of Transportation. The primary goal of the program is to invest in local downtowns through repurposing streets, plazas, sidewalks, curbs and parking areas to facilitate outdoor activities and community programs.

Over the past 14 months, the program has awarded $33 million dollars total to 183 municipalities and four transit agencies for a total of 310 projects as communities recover from the effects of the coronavirus health crisis.

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(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)