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Finance Committee accepts $390,149.30 MassDOT bottleneck grant to upgrade Main Street signals
Summary
The Finance Committee voted unanimously to accept a $390,149.30 no-match Local Bottleneck Reduction Program grant from MassDOT to fund signal and signage improvements on Main Street and related I‑391 ramp intersections.
The Holyoke City Council Finance Committee voted unanimously to accept a $390,149.30 no-match Local Bottleneck Reduction Program grant from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) to fund signal upgrades and related traffic-improvement work on Main Street and associated I‑391 ramps.
City engineer Matt (DPW engineer) described the project scope as focused on congestion mitigation and crash reduction at several intersections along Main Street: Main at the I‑391 South on‑ramp, Main at South/Water Street, Main at the I‑391 North off‑ramp, Main at Jackson Street and Main at Sargent Street. The work includes signal equipment updates, improved signage and pavement markings, clarified stop-bar locations and lane delineation.
Councilors and residents raised the long-standing safety concern at Main and Vernon streets, where a previously removed signal remains out of service after being damaged by a driver. Several councilors urged that the Vernon/Main intersection be added to the grant-funded scope, citing recent serious injuries and frequent crashes near Springdale Park. Engineer Matt said the MassDOT Local Bottleneck Reduction Program grant is specifically for congestion mitigation at the listed locations and cannot be expanded to include the Main/Vernon intersection under this award.
After discussion about the targeted locations and the project’s design readiness, a committee member moved to accept the grant in accordance with Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 44, §53A and to establish appropriate accounting for the receipts. The committee approved the motion by voice vote; the vote was recorded as unanimous.
Votes at this meeting: Motion to accept MassDOT Local Bottleneck Reduction Program grant, $390,149.30, and authorize fund accounting — approved by voice vote (5–0).
