by The Allston Multimodal Project, which would straighten the Massachusetts Turnpike, build a new commuter rail station, and increase the amount of land available for development and outdoor recreation along the Charles River, has lost a $327 million grant from the Trump administration.
Tom Ryan, Senior Advisor on Policy, Government and Community Affairs at the transportation non-profit A Better City, told Boston.com that the project is likely the best public construction project in New England because it benefits the community by providing access to the river, protected bike lanes, and a whole new neighborhood.
Following the signing of President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which abolished the Neighborhood Access and Equity Program under Section 60019, the funds was withdrawn.
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The program was created in 2022 under the Inflation Reduction Act of then-President Joe Biden to provide funding for initiatives that would increase connectivity in underserved communities.
Because the $8 million in award funds were already required or planned to be used, Massachusetts will keep them.
Ryan and other transportation activists stated that while the funding loss is depressing, there is still hope.
It’s really discouraging to have the money taken away when you feel like you’re making great progress. However, he stated that there is a great deal of promise here. The initiative has a large following, and losing this money does not diminish that.
According to Ryan, the $327 million government grant made up around 17% of the project’s $1.9 billion overall existing budget. Additionally, a $470 million federal TIFIA loan and local funding from Boston University and Harvard ($100 million), the City of Boston ($100 million), state toll revenue ($200 million), and even the Millionaire’s Tax ($615 million) are funding the project.
Governor Maura Healey was incensed when the Massachusetts Department of Transportation got confirmation of the termination late on July 18.
Why would any American president oppose a project that would enhance transportation for both locals and tourists, boost local businesses, generate thousands of construction jobs, and make room for new housing? That is advantageous to all of us, Healey stated in a statement.
According to a statement from Transportation Secretary & CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation will carry out a strategic evaluation of the project, evaluating its costs and seeking advice from an outside engineering firm.
Without endangering the project, there is still time to create a fresh project financial plan. According to Ryan, there are numerous ways to design a fresh financial strategy that suits everyone.
Annie Jonas writes for Boston.com as a community writer. She used to work as a freelancer at the Financial Times and as a local editor at Patch.
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