Trump administration cancels $20M grant for Roxbury street project

"In a letter to the city on Sept. 9, U.S. DOT said it was immediately withdrawing the funding for the RAISE grant awarded for the Roxbury Resilient Transportation Corridors project because the project misaligns with the federal government's priorities of promoting "traditional forms of energy and natural resources," due to its use of EV charging stations. U.S. DOT awarded the RAISE grant in fiscal year 2022, covering $20 million of the project's estimated $34 million total cost."

"According to the RAISE grants fact sheet, the project would reconstruct and upgrade three corridors in Roxbury, including a 0.88-mile section of Melnea Cass Boulevard, a 0.46-mile section of Malcolm X Boulevard, and a 1.28-mile section of Warren Street. The project would construct dedicated bus corridors, new sidewalks, bus shelters, separate bicycle facilities, intersection improvements, green infrastructure, and stormwater improvements."

The U.S. Department of Transportation rescinded a $20 million RAISE grant for the Roxbury Resilient Transportation Corridors project and a $2 million grant for Mattapan Square. The Roxbury project would have rebuilt three corridors and added dedicated bus lanes, sidewalks, bus shelters, bicycle facilities, green infrastructure, and stormwater improvements. DOT cited misalignment with federal priorities because the Roxbury plan included EV charging stations and said the Mattapan plan conflicted with its support for auto-centric infrastructure by proposing lane removals for single-occupant vehicles. The city is reviewing options after the withdrawals.

Read at Boston.com