Skip to content

Springfield DPW and MassDOT to Develop Citywide Safety Action Plan to seek Federal Funding for Roadway Improvements

Springfield, MA – The City of Springfield Department of Public Works (DPW), in partnership with MassDOT and their consultant, Kittelson & Associates, are developing a Citywide Safety Action Plan as part of an application seeking federal grant funding under the “Safe Streets and Road for All” (SS4A) grant program.

As part of the application package being submitted to the Federal Government, Springfield DPW, MassDOT, and the consultant are required to develop a Citywide Safety Action Plan that will be submitted as part of our application.

The Safety Action Plan Document is the backbone for the development of the various individual projects to be addressed around the city.  The document can be found on the Springfield Department of Public Works website at:

https://www.springfield-ma.gov/dpw/fileadmin/forms/Engineering/Safe_Streets/Saftey_Plan.pdf

The application being submitted to the Federal Government under the SS4A program requests over $18 million and is aimed at addressing safety issues and enhancements at intersections and along corridors within the city.  The application proposes improvements including but not limited to curb bump-outs, raised crosswalks, increased signage, improved pedestrian crossings at signalized and unsignalized intersection, traffic signal visibility, lane narrowing, and road diets.

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno states, “I want to thank DPW Director Chris Cignoli and his dedicated team for their continued efforts in enhancing and improving our public roadways.  There is a delicate balance we must strike when considering roadway projects.  Anytime there are changes to a pubic roadway, we must carefully review and thoroughly examine how that change will increase roadway and pedestrian safety, while also making sure that the purposed changes will not also create additional negative, and sometime unforeseen, impacts upon traffic and pedestrian safety.  This Citywide Safety Action Plan, in partnership with MassDOT and team, is a major step in not just identifying viable improvements and enhancements for our pubic roadways but just as important, seeking a viable funding source to get these projects across our city funded and put shoves into the ground as quickly as possible.”

DPW Director Christopher Cignoli, P.E. says “that this is a very unique opportunity presented to us by MassDOT to partner on a major safety campaign in the city.  Historically, addressing safety issues at the State and Federal level consisted of initiating major construction projects that took a significant amount of time and money to initiate.  This program will better target specific locations without having to initiate a major construction project that can be designed and implemented quickly.”