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Date: 2/14/2023
SPRINGFIELD — Several intersections, corridors, roadway treatments and pedestrian crossings throughout Springfield will be enhanced thanks to a $15 million federal grant from the Federal Highway Administration of the United States Department of Transportation. Mayor Domenic Sarno and DPW Director Christopher Cignoli announced the grant on Feb. 2.
With the grant award, Springfield will address 15 intersections and 10 corridors. Cignoli shared with Reminder Publishing what those projects will be.
For corridor improvements, $825,000 will be helping to achieve Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance and reduce lane widths on Boston Road from Bay Street to Parker Street, $1.6 million will be allocated to install a high-visibility crosswalk and improve school zones on Main Street/Belmont Avenue from Liberty Street to White Street and $1.4 million will install sidewalks and pedestrian crossing on Page Boulevard from St. James Boulevard to Berkshire Avenue.
Other corridor projects include $550,000 for White Street from Revere Street to Ainsworth Street, $880,000 for pedestrian crossings on Carew Street from Dwight Street to Glenham Street, $875,000 for pedestrian crossings on Sumner Avenue from Orlando Street to Vali Street and $550,000 for visibility improvements on State Street from Walnut Street to Austin Street.
The 15 intersection projects are highlighted by the $2.4 million that will go towards converting the St. James Avenue and Magazine Street intersection into a roundabout. Cignoli said the change was necessary as the current configuration could be confusing to drivers.
“It was really the way that area is operating right now … It’s creating more of a circular movement there so all the appropriate turns can be made,” said Cignoli.
Other intersection improvements, such as $440,000 for State Street and St. James Avenue, $490,000 for Maple and Union Streets, $545,000 toward Walnut and Union Streets and $660,000 toward State and Chestnut streets, will fund signalized intersection enhancements to clusters designated by the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP).
The roadway improvements that will be funded by the grant include:
The grant award derives from the Federal Highway Administration’s Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Implementation Grant Program. Springfield and Boston were the only Massachusetts recipients for the nationwide, $1 billion 2023 program under the federal government’s infrastructure bill.
The SS4A was formally established in 2022. The program will appropriate $5 billion in funds over the next five years with the goal of reducing deaths and serious injuries on roadways.
Springfield city leaders developed their grant application in collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). MassDOT assisted with the identification of corridors and intersections in Springfield that have had persistent issues in regard to driver, pedestrian and bicycle safety over the past five years, according to Sarno’s press release.
Sarno thanked the efforts of Congressman Richard Neal and Sens. Edward Markey and Elizabeth Warren in helping to secure the funding award. He said the grant supports his Citywide Safety Action Plan’s efforts for improving roadway safety.
“This vital federal funding for safe streets and roads is part of my administrations Citywide Safety Action Plan that was developed last year and builds upon our continued efforts to enhance public safety for vehicles, pedestrian traffic and beyond,” said Sarno.
Cignoli considered the funding award “an enormous victory for the city.”
“The types of projects we envision are usually financially not attainable as smaller scale projects, that do not involve full reconstruction, are usually not eligible for funding. These projects will allow us to address the safety concerns throughout the city,” said Cignoli.
The funding provided to the city will be presented to the City Council for acceptance and the Department of Public Works will immediately begin design, with construction of certain improvements being implemented starting later this year and rolling into 2024.
After the funds are accepted by the council, the city will hire designers and engineers for the different projects. Cignoli shared that many of the intersection projects should begin by the end of the year. Some of the intersections, such as the one on State Street near the Springfield Central Library, have already received some initial design work.
“A bunch of the intersection work will be able to be started this year because it’s much more straightforward,” said Cignoli.