The City announced on Wednesday that it had secured a $3 million federal grant to go towards full design and construction of the Beacham Street reconfiguration project.
City Manager Tom Ambrosino and Planner Alex Train broke the news, which is a major coup in the $9 million project – which looks to reconfigure Beacham Street as a critical east-west corridor between East Boston, Chelsea and Everett.
That would be achieved by reconfiguring the roadway not only for cars, but also for bicycles and pedestrians. It would also include landscaping improvements and accommodations for the trucking traffic that needs to use the corridor as well. Everett has also begun a similar project on its side of Beacham Street, and both project would align when completed.
The project also has some pieces that will provide flood protection from the Island End River, which has been known to spill over its bands and threaten the New England Produce Market – a regional, critical food supply facility.
The federal grant will go along with money set aside in the City’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for the project.
Ambrosino said they would also pursue money from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) from its Transportation Improvement Fund when that money becomes available.