ACTON — The Town of Acton is pleased to announce that it has received a grant from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation that will help increase pedestrian safety and connect two popular recreation areas.
The grant, totaling $285,730.36, will be used to fund construction of a sidewalk on the north side of Harris Street, connecting the new North Acton Fire Station and surrounding neighbors to Main Street The Harris Street sidewalk also will link the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail and the Nathaniel Allen Recreation Area (NARA Park).
The Town project was one of 40 funded by the state this month.
“This grant will provide added safety to the North Acton neighborhood, and a key connection to the town’s recreational opportunities,” Town Manager John Mangiaratti said. “I look forward with working with Director of Public Works Corey York and Town Engineer QinRui Pang on this effort.”
The Town of Acton broke ground for the new North Action Fire Station in October 2020. The Town anticipates opening the station in October 2021.
The Shared Streets program provides technical and funding assistance to help cities and towns conceive, design, and implement tactical changes to curbs, streets, and parking areas in support of public health, safe mobility, and renewed commerce, with a special focus on the challenges of winter.
MassDOT, via the Baker-Polito Administration’s Shared Winter Streets and Spaces program, awarded $5,318,845.57 in funding in April. MassDOT is particularly focused on projects that respond to the current public health crisis and provide safe mobility for children, for elders, to public transportation, and to open space and parks.