Newton Receives $150k In Shared Streets And Spaces Program

NEWTON, MA — The City of Newton will receive $150,969 in the latest round of the Baker-Polito Administration's Shared Streets and Spaces program.

In this round of awards, the state received 94 applications, the largest applicant pool received in a single round to date, and 78 were selected to receive a total of $6.5 million, with 51% of the funds going to designated Environmental Justice Communities.

"Shared Streets grants kept local economies going and gave the public options for safe travel and activities during the pandemic, helping all of us reimagine how we can share streets and spaces to stay safe and improve the quality of life in our communities," said Gov. Charlie Baker in a statement.

Newton will use its grant to add one new bikeshare station and relocate other underused stations to higher performing locations.

Since the launch of the Shared Winter Streets and Spaces program in June 2020, the state has awarded a total of $33 million to 183 cities and towns and four transit agencies.

The grants, which have funded 310 local projects, provide technical and funding assistance to help communities conceive, design, and implement changes to curbs, streets, plazas, and parking areas in support of public health, safe mobility, renewed commerce, and community betterment.

This round of funding us part of the Shared Winter Streets and Spaces program that was launched in late 2o20 to help communities during the cold weather months. It provides grants between $5,000 and $500,000 to launch temporary or permanent changes for safer walking, biking, public transit, recreation, commerce, and civic activities.