{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://katherineclark.house.gov/press-releases?ID=644D4DB7-D98B-4892-9ECF-BC1EFBBAF15A", "$21.6M Grant to Fund Bluebike Expansion, New Transit Shuttles, Other Congestion Relief Solutions in Metro Boston", "2024-10-17", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "House", "MA", "Katherine M. Clark", "C001101", "katherineclark.house.gov", "clark", "https://katherineclark.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "BOSTON, MA \u2014 A major new federal grant designed to help relieve congestion across Greater Boston will fund scores of new Bluebikes stations and add several new shuttle routes to supplement MBTA service throughout the city, the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) announced this week.\n\nThe $21.6 million Congestion Relief Grant from the Federal Highway Administration, one of seven awards issued throughout the country, will fund research into ways of reducing driving and encouraging transit use and will help launch a new mobile app that will allow transit riders to book trips across the system in one place.\n\nThe new shuttle network will expand public transit in key Boston neighborhoods, including the Seaport, Charlestown, and Allston-Brighton. The Bluebikes expansion will add nearly 400 new bikes to the system, a quarter of them electric bikes (e-bikes), as well as new stations throughout the system. Approximately half of the new stations will be electrified, allowing e-bikes to recharge while docked, extending their range and reducing their dependency on manual battery swapping. Some existing stations will also be relocated from on-street to off-street sites to enable them to operate year-round.\n\nThe first phase of the work will be to plan specific station locations in existing Bluebikes communities, which includes Arlington, Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Chelsea, Everett, Malden, Medford, Newton, Revere, Somerville, Watertown and Salem.\n\n\u201cDemocrats are on a mission to deliver easier rides for commuters and a more sustainable future for our kids. With this critical funding, we are taking another step forward,\u201d said Democratic Whip Katherine Clark. \u201cI am grateful for the Biden-Harris Administration\u2019s leadership in improving America\u2019s green infrastructure and better connecting our communities. I am proud to have partnered with them to bring home this win and will continue working to reduce congestion and expand public transit options for all residents.\u201d\n\n\u201cGreater Boston is getting greater bikes,\u201d said Senator Edward J. Markey. \u201cI am proud to have led our Congressional delegation in advocating for this $21.6 million for MAPC to expand the Bluebikes network and fill transit gaps in the region, especially for communities that are currently underserved. This federal funding will advance transit equity and reduce carbon emissions by giving more people the option to get to work, school, medical appointments, and other important services without relying on a car.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis $21 million in federal funds will improve our bike infrastructure and fill transit gaps so that Greater Boston has better, cleaner, and safer ways to get around,\u201d said Senator Elizabeth Warren. \u201cI\u2019ve long worked for more federal investment in our transit here in Massachusetts, and I was glad to partner with federal, state, and local partners to bring this grant home to MAPC.\u201d\n\n\u201cBikeshare makes for better commutes and more walkable neighborhoods. I\u2019ll continue working with partners to promote cycling, walking and transit to support vibrant downtowns,\u201d said Congressman Jake Auchincloss.\n\n\u201cTo unlock a greener, healthier, and more efficient transit future for the Commonwealth, we have to make smart investments targeted at reducing congestion on our roads. That means giving people better options than driving -- from taking the train to biking,\u201d said Congressman Seth Moulton. \u201cThis $21 million grant will help us make progress toward this goal by giving more people access to bikes than ever before. I'm grateful for the partnership of my colleagues in the federal delegation and to MAPC for their advocacy as we build a transit system that serves everyone.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis new federal investment, which I am proud to have advocated for, will help make our Commonwealth more connected, give commuters more options to access jobs, groceries, and essential services.\u201d said Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Co-Chair of the Congressional Bike Caucus. \u201cWith this new funding, we\u2019ll be moving closer to a just, equitable, and sustainable transit system that our communities deserve. I\u2019m grateful to the Biden-Harris Administration for this intersectional investment and I\u2019ll continue working to invest in public transit as the public good that it is.\u201d\n\n\u201cEasing traffic congestion is only possible if we offer accessible alternatives to cars, and this funding makes it possible for us to do so,\u201d said Boston Mayor Michelle Wu. \u201cI want to thank our partners at MAPC for all they have done to advance this project and make our roads better for all residents.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Congestion Relief Program funding is a huge boost in helping to build the transportation system we have dreamed of, one that is seamless, gives people more travel options, and which launches technology to help people navigate as they take trips,\u201d said Transportation Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt. \u201cThe funding turns vision into reality, implementing steps to reduce pollution, decrease congestion, and support people who don\u2019t have a car.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis grant will provide more options for people to get around without relying on a car and will make a dent in Boston\u2019s status as one of the most congested cities,\u201d said Eric Bourassa, Director of Transportation at MAPC, the regional planning agency for Greater Boston, which applied for the grant. \u201cWe are also excited to see these funds advance research and technology solutions that will improve non-auto travel options and encourage people to use other modes of transportation.\n\nAccording to INRIX\u2019s Global Traffic Scorecard, Boston area drivers lost 88 hours stuck in traffic in 2023. This grant is designed to create a menu of new projects to address that by easing the transition away from single-occupancy vehicles, and increasing the appeal of public transit and micro-mobility options.\n\nFor more information about MAPC\u2019s transportation work throughout Greater Boston, visit mapc.org/transportation.\n\n# # #\n\nMAPC\u2019s grant application includes four initiatives:\n\nExpand Public Transit\n\nLaunch new fixed-route shuttles in three Boston neighborhoods: Allston-Brighton, Charlestown/Somerville, and the Seaport District\n\nLaunch and operate on-demand micro-transit services in the Mattapan and Grove Hall neighborhoods of Boston.\n\nExpanded Bluebikes throughout Greater Boston\n\nPurchase and install 90 e-bikes and 32 electrified stations\n\nPurchase and install 290 pedal bikes and 32 regular stations\n\nRedistribute non-electrified stations throughout system\n\nCover operating costs for new stations and bikes for 3-4 years\n\nMove existing stations off-street so they can operate in all four seasons\n\nNew Trip Planning and Payment App\n\nAllow riders across Greater Boston to plan and pay for all trips in one mobile app, regardless of mode (train, bus, bike, shuttle)\n\nTransit Incentives Study\n\nImprove the current transit system by studying the most effective incentives to shift trip decisions away from single-occupancy vehicles and toward public transit.\n\nPlease be advised that the Massachusetts Secretary of State considers e-mail to be a public record, and therefore subject to the Massachusetts Public Records Law, M.G.L. c. 66 \u00a7 10.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://katherineclark.house.gov/press-releases?ID=644D4DB7-D98B-4892-9ECF-BC1EFBBAF15A"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4628148637712002, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}