Baker-Polito Administration Announces $9.8 Million in MassWorks Investments to a Dozen Rural and Small Towns Through the One Stop

CHARLEMONT?— Wednesday, October 27, 2021 — Today, Undersecretary of Community Development Ashley Stolba was joined by state and local officials to announce the next round of MassWorks Infrastructure Grant Program awards that will support capital projects in rural and small towns.?In this round, issued through the Community One Stop for Growth program, 12 grants for a combined total of nearly $9.8 million are being made to communities for key roadway safety improvements based on criteria that reserves grant funding for small towns (also known as STRAP).

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Included among this round’s grant recipients, the town of Charlemont, where today's announcement took place, was awarded $720,000 to shift the alignment of a portion of Route 8A/North Heath Road which will result in safety improvements for vehicular travel and drainage improvements in the vicinity of the project site that will improve the town’s water quality.

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“Through the MassWorks program, our Administration is committed to supporting local infrastructure upgrades, especially in rural areas, which unlock new opportunities for jobs and housing through private investment,” said Governor Charlie Baker.?“With the simplified One Stop process and by setting aside designated funding for rural communities and smaller towns, we can ensure that our economic recovery truly reaches all corners of the Commonwealth.”?

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“While local infrastructure needs vary across each community, they are all vital for stimulating economic activity, attracting private development, and creating new housing,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito.?“With the combined flexibility offered by MassWorks, and with the addition of the new, streamlined One Stop application process, we look forward to working together to continue making real progress toward municipalities’ economic and community development goals.”

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“One Stop’s format is a direct result of engaging with communities, large and small, across the Commonwealth, who told us we needed a new process that was easier to navigate, simpler to access, and all in one place,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy.?“While the first year’s results show tremendous promise, the demand for the program demonstrates we can do more, and One Stop offers an opportunity to ensure valuable program funds can be directed more effectively, to more communities, in less time.”

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“With substantial process improvements resulting in the new One Stop program and with the flexibility provided through the MassWorks program, our goal is to give more power to communities to achieve their individual visions for growth,” said Undersecretary of Community Development Ashley Stolba.?“With this round of grants, we can specifically address the unique needs of rural communities by supporting roadway safety enhancements, improved emergency response times, and more resilient infrastructure that can withstand year-round changes in weather.”

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“Investment in public infrastructure is vital for every city and town throughout the Commonwealth, but our rural towns face particular challenges in paying for it,” said Senator Adam Hinds. “This funding made available for projects throughout Western Mass communities unlocks impactful and necessary economic development opportunities.”

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“MassWorks grants are a great example of an effective partnership between the legislature, the Governor’s office, and the individual towns to get important local projects completed,” said Representative Paul Mark. “These grant awards will be put to good use in many small towns throughout the region who just don’t have the resources on their own to finish projects of this size.?Today’s event is an important reminder of the uphill battle rural communities face and also recognition that state government is listening and working to get resources sent where they are most needed.”

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“The revival of our small New England village continues today as we receive a grant to complete the final piece on our two major roads,” said Charlemont Select Board Chair Marguerite Willis.?“The Select Board appreciates the opportunity to engage with MassWorks, particularly Mr. Juan Vega and the One Stop Program,?as our town strives in partnership with local businesses to focus on expanding town revenues, providing for future generations, and sharing our natural beauty with others.”

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MassWorks, a competitive program that offers cities and towns flexible capital funding to support and accelerate housing production and job growth, is the largest program among the One Stop portfolio.?This year, the Administration is awarding 56 grants from the infrastructure program – the largest number of awards in a single year in six years – totaling $66.5 million to 50 communities.?Among this year’s MassWorks projects, 29 are reactivating underutilized sites, 27 are supporting transit-oriented developments, 29 have a mixed-use component. Additionally, 14 communities are receiving their first ever MassWorks award.

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Including this year’s round, the?Baker-Polito Administration has awarded 326 MassWorks grants to 181 communities, investing over $608 million in public infrastructure projects throughout the state. These grants have directly supported the creation of 21,000 new housing units, tens of thousands of construction and new permanent jobs, while also leveraging over $13 billion in private investment.?

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All told, since FY16, the Baker-Polito Administration has made 77 STRAP awards totaling $64.7 million to 61 small towns.

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One Stop, which was first launched in?January 2021 , replaced multiple application processes for separate grant programs that support local economic development initiatives with a single application portal that includes a streamlined, collaborative review process.?

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In One Stop’s first year, the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development received 267 Expressions of Interest from 178 communities through the new, simplified process.?For this year’s awards, 196 grant applications received a total of $88.7 million for projects in 122 communities.?Of the 196 projects awarded, nearly one-third were located in a rural or small town, half were located in a Housing Choice Community, and one-third were located in a Gateway City. Learn more about the programs that are part of the Community One Stop for Growth application process.

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Included in this round of grants are the following projects:

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Avon: Central/Reservoir Safety/Pedestrian/Bike Improvements, $288,000

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The town of Avon is receiving $288,000 to complete a third phase of the?MassWorks?2020 Central/Reservoir Improvement Project, which will add bicycle and pedestrian amenities to Central Street once the vehicular roadway improvements have been made from the first phase funded by?MassWorks?and a second phase funded by?MassDOT’s?Shared Streets and Spaces Program.

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When complete, the project will narrow Central Street to a uniform width resulting in safety improvements for vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians.?This will allow safer and easier access to nearby landmarks such as the DW Field Park, the Westgate Mall, Cushing General Hospital, and IKEA Stoughton.?

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Becket: McNerney Road Repairs Project, $1 million

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The town of Beckett is receiving a $1 million award to reconstruct McNerney Road, a local connector between Route 8 to the south and the town of Washington to the north. Improvements will include full-depth reclamation, road widening, and shoulders for bike accommodations.????

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McNerney Road provides an alternate route for regional and commercial traffic traveling north to the towns?of Washington and Dalton and the city of Pittsfield. The roadway is used year-round by Becket emergency vehicles, Washington residents, and provides the most direct travel route for emergency responders to the western portion of Washington. Project improvements will address poor pavement conditions as well as narrow lanes that presently impact response times and cause hazardous travel conditions.?

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Blandford: North Blandford Road Improvements, $999,000

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The town of Blandford will use this grant to rehabilitate North Blandford Road, a heavily used connector road between Route 23, which is Blandford’s main throughway, and the neighboring town of Otis. Work will include reconstruction of drainage and culverts, milling of the road, and resurfacing.????

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The decision to rehabilitate North Blandford Road stems from the Pioneer Valley Planning Council and?MassDOT’s?2020 roadway evaluation which determined that the road was in need of rehabilitation. Rehabilitation of North Blandford Road would protect the regional economy by ensuring the ability of commuters and commercial vehicles to travel unimpeded on a vital connector.?

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Bolton: Intersection Safety Improvements at Route 117, $938,000

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The town of Bolton's grant will support the final design and construction of a modern roundabout to improve safety, and intersection geometry at the where Route 117/Main Street,?Forbush?Mill Road, and Green Road cross. Project outcomes include reductions in the frequency and severity of crashes, reduction in travel speeds along Route 117, and the creation of safe pedestrian crossings and bicyclist accommodation.?

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?Charlemont: Route 8A/North Heath Road Realignment, $720,000

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The town of?Charlemont?intends to shift a portion of Route 8A/North Heath Road approximately 550 feet to the east of the present roadway, which will eliminate a sharp curve in its current configuration. Route 8A serves as the main access road between?Charlemont?and Heath and is a popular connector to portions of Vermont. A new catch basin will be constructed and an existing culvert over Mill Brook will be upgraded to improve water quality to the town. The existing portions of the roadway abutting the portion to be shifted will be repaved.?

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The elimination of the sharp curve will also allow safer and easier access to nearby driveways and pave the way for increased opportunities for more residential development along this stretch of road. Another positive benefit resulting from the shifting of Route 8A is that the roadway will be further removed away from the Mill Brook riverfront area and thereby improving the natural habitats surrounding Mill Brook. The roadway relocation will also improve drainage to the roadway.?

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Granville: Southern Berkshire Highway Connectivity Improvement, $1 million

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This MassWorks?grant will be used to pave three major roads across Granville, which are currently gravel roadways. West Hartland Road runs north/south from Route 20 in Hartland, CT to Route 57 in Granville. Hunt Road is a connecter to Tolland, MA from West Hartland Road. Beech Hill Road runs north/south from Route 23 in Blandford to Route 57. Timberdoodle is a connector from Beech Hill to Borden Brook Road.??Phelon?Road is a 1.7-mile gravel rural connector from North Lane to Blandford Road. It is the only east/west route parallel to Route 57.?

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Hancock: Dee Road, Goodrich Hollow Road, and Tower Mountain Road Paving Project, $169,000

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The town of Hancock is using its $169,000?MassWorks?grant award to pave three dirt and gravel roads that can only be accessed from New York State. The grant will only cover the cost of paving; the town intends to do other work including replacing culverts and adding gravel prior to paving.??

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The paving of these three roads will increase the safety and ease of access to the homes along the roads. Snow is easier to clear on pavement than gravel and vehicles are less prone to slipping on ice or getting stuck. Also, pavement will result in less gravel runoff into nearby streams. The paving of these roads will also result in increased economic opportunities for Hancock from revenue generated by new housing that can be built along the roads. Along with recent high speed internet service, the town believes the area these three roads serve will only increase in popularity and demand.???

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Heath: Route 8A Safety Improvements Project, $735,000

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The town of Health is receiving a $735,000 award to rehabilitate seven miles of roadway along Route 8A, a principal north-south corridor between southern Vermont and Route 2. Improvements will include road resurfacing, shoulder grading, and replacement of two drainage culverts.???

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Route 8A supports year-round tourism for the region’s recreational destinations and is a principal travel route for commuters and emergency vehicles between the towns of Heath and?Charlemont. Route 8A also provides the most direct route to the former Heath Elementary School, which operates as a command center and emergency dispensing site during states of emergency. Current pavement and shoulder conditions make travel hazardous along the roadway during heavy rain and storm events. Improvements will increase transportation safety and mitigate risks of closures.???????

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New Marlborough: Route 57 Major Rehabilitation, Phase 2, $1 million

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This project will allow for full-depth reclamation and rebuilding, including culvert repair/replacement and improved drainage of slightly less than two miles of Route 57, a critical east-west transportation corridor through New Marlborough.?Route 57 is classified as a Major Rural Collector roadway.?This project would extend the work completed in June 2021 for a 4.7-mile segment of Route 57 in the towns of New Marlborough and Sandisfield.?

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Peru: East Windsor Road Resurfacing Project, $927,000

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The town of Peru is receiving a $927,000 award to reconstruct three miles of East Windsor Road, a regional conduit between Route 143 and the towns of Peru and Windsor. Improvements will include full-depth reclamation along with replacement of drainage culverts.????

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East Windsor Road is the principle north-south route between Windsor and Route 143 via Peru. Poor pavement and drainage conditions make travel hazardous during storm events, especially when temperatures are below freezing. Emergency vehicles are required to reduce speeds for safe travel. Improvements will increase transportation safety as well as emergency responsiveness.?

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Shelburne: Little Mohawk Road Safety Improvements Project, $998,000

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Shelburne is using its $998,000?MassWorks?grant award to complete a full reclamation of Mohawk Road, a local roadway connecting Route 2, the Mohawk Trail, with the town of?Colrain. The reclamation will include repaving of the road, removal of overgrown tree limbs, replacement of failing culverts, and installation of guardrails, catch basins, and subdrains.

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The rebuilding of Mohawk Road is very important to both the town and the region because Mohawk Road is a much traveled connector that serves as an evacuation route connecting Route 2 to the Town of?Colrain?and is also very popular with tourists and visitors. The current state of Mohawk Road is characterized by poor pavement condition and drainage, ice buildup in the winter, overgrown vegetation, and failing culverts.?Reclamation of Mohawk Road will restore easy access to the businesses and homes in the area thereby strengthening Shelburne’s economy.???

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Tolland: Schoolhouse Road and Clubhouse Road upgrades, $987,000

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This grant will allow Tolland to reclaim and pave 2.8 miles of the southern end of Schoolhouse Road and one-tenth of a mile on the northern end. The project will reclaim and pave an unpaved section of Clubhouse Road and install a top course of pavement on the section being reclaimed.?Clubhouse Road runs from Route 57 to Schoolhouse Road. It is 2.4 miles long and all but the last one-tenth of a mile at the Schoolhouse Rd intersection is seriously deteriorated and in a major safety concern.?

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