BOSTON – State Senator Ryan Fattman (R-Sutton) and State Representatives Joseph McKenna (R-Webster) and Paul Frost (R-Auburn) announced recently that Oxford was the recipient of a $300,000 grant from the MassDOT Shared Winter Streets and Spaces Program.  

  The Shared Winter Streets and Spaces program provides grants from $5,000 to $500,000 for municipalities to quickly launch changes for safer walking, biking, public transit, recreation, commerce, and civic activities. These improvements can be intentionally temporary or can be pilots of potentially permanent changes. MassDOT is particularly focused on projects that respond to the current public health crisis and provide safe mobility for children, for elders, to public transportation, and to open space and parks. 

  The $300,000 that Oxford received will go to install new safety improvements within the downtown area, including enhanced crosswalks with pedestrian safety beacons, ADA-compliant curb ramps, improved pedestrian signals, and bus shelters. 

  Representative Frost said, “I appreciate the Baker-Polito administration for awarding these grants to the communities of Auburn, Millbury and Oxford in my district. These grants will have a long-lasting positive impact beyond the pandemic.”  

  “I am very happy to support this grant which will provide significant safety improvements to a very busy street,” added Representative McKenna. “Oxford is always looking forward to making local improvements, and this state commitment will help move that forward.”  

  “I am pleased to see the hard work of the town of Oxford pay off with the receipt of this grant,” said Senator Fattman. “It is crucial to provide a safe means of pedestrian travel in a time when so many are staying in their small communities. I am proud to continue to support this grant program, so that many more communities can have access to road improvements that will make their streets safer.”