Malden receives large grant to address traffic and public safety issues

Mayor hails collaborative effort by city staff on application

Special to The Advocate

The City of Malden has received an $881,600 Municipal Block Grant from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission that will help fund a variety of transportation and public safety improvements in the community. That announcement was made this week by Mayor Gary Christenson, who credited staff at the city’s Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development (OSPCD) for putting together a comprehensive and compelling grant application. The city received the full amount it requested.

This block grant will fund a total of eight projects: six transportation initiatives and two public safety measures. The following is a list of the various projects that will move forward thanks to the receipt of these funds:

• $300,000 to complete the 25 percent engineering design package for the reconstruction of Broadway from the Everett City Line to the Melrose City Line. The city has been successful in securing programmed funding in the State Transportation Improvement Plan for the construction of these improvements
• $125,000 to implement a signal timing improvement plan on north Main Street, intersection control evaluation at the intersection of Main and Salem Streets; signal timing and geometric study of the intersection of Main, Charles and Madison Streets and Eastern Avenue
• $55,000 to construct pedestrian signalization and vehicle detection on Broadway
• $160,000 to construct a mast-armed mounted overhead pedestrian actuated flashing signal, associated pushbuttons and advance warning signs at a currently uncontrolled intersection on Main Street adjacent to the southeast corner of Bell Rock Park
• $35,000 to construct the installation of an overhead pedestrian flashing beacon at Main, Wigglesworth and Judson Streets
• $60,000 to prepare an inventory of citywide traffic signal operations and electrical systems conditions to improve signal operations and maintenance citywide
• $84,217 to purchase a series of traffic-calming devices, including portable radar speed signs and message sign trailers for the Malden Police Department’s use
• $62,380 to provide all sworn Malden Police Department Officers with de-escalation, implicit bias, and use-of-force training

In making the grant announcement, Mayor Christenson said, “This was a collaborative effort with OSPCD, Malden Police and Engineering Staff to package a proposal that would receive high marks from the Gaming Commission and provide much-needed grant dollars to fund these important community projects. Much credit goes to Bekah McPheeters, OSPCD’s Sustainability & Grants Manager, who was assisted in the application process by Police Chief Glenn Cronin, OSPCD Transportation Planner Jack Witthaus and City Engineer Yem Lip.”

According to the Gaming Commission’s guidelines, this Municipal Block Grant Program was designed to give municipalities in the vicinity of gaming establishments (Encore Boston Harbor in Everett) some certainty regarding the availability of mitigation funds to their communities. Eligible projects must show that they address casino-related impacts on a community.