The Baker administration will award $4.2 million in brand-new grants to almost two dozen regional transit authorities, business organizations and more in an attempt to improve commutes.
The funding, which will be announced at a Monday Department of Transportation board meeting, is the first-ever set of Workforce Transportation Grant Awards launched following a recommendation in the August 2019 congestion report that the administration encourage employers to create new travel options for workers.
"What is needed is more commuting options, more transit, more employer shuttles, more ‘first mile, last mile’ services to connect people to workplaces and job centers," Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack said in a press release.
State dollars will fund projects including a Bedford and Billerica employee shuttle for the Middlesex 3 Coalition, a first mile/last mile RailLink shuttle for the Neponset Valley Transportation Management Associations, service between Webster and Southbridge on the Worcester Regional Transit Authority, and more.
The largest grant, $340,000, will go to the city of Chelsea for implementation of a bike-share system, according to a MassDOT press release.
Legislative leaders are expected to unveil a broad policy package this year aimed at improving public transit and mitigating crowded highways, though few details have been released.