$96K State Grant To Fund Salem Bike Lanes, Traffic Calming Elements

SALEM, MA — Salem will use a $96,000 state grant to install protected bicycle lanes and install more traffic calming elements.

The award is part of $16.4 million for 184 new awards to 138 municipalities and seven Regional Transit Authorities through the Shared Streets and Spaces Program.

This round of funding placed particular emphasis on two new types of projects: those to reduce vehicle speeds in order to increase safety, and those to purchase equipment needed to improve and maintain infrastructure for active transportation.

"With speeding and speeding-related crashes becoming more and more prevalent as we emerge from the pandemic, safety and driving at appropriate speeds has never been so important," said Transportation Secretary and CEO Jamey Tesler. "MassDOT encourages municipalities to think strategically and implement speed reduction measures to reduce crashes and the severity of injuries in crashes."

The funding will allow Salem to install protected bicycle lanes, traffic-calming elements, such as chicanes and lane narrowing, a new crosswalk and improve access to a bus stop on North Street between Highland and Franklin Street.

Grants announced on Tuesday are the largest award round since the program was launched in June 2020.

"We are glad to be funding projects that reduce vehicular speeds and provide safe mobility for children, for seniors, to public transportation, housing, and to open space and parks," Gov. Charlie Baker said.

(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.)