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Bellingham road revitalization project retains priority status Sen. Moore's efforts get results November 25, 2009 ... Earlier this month, after hearing a report that funding for Bellingham's Pulaski Boulevard revitalization could be among the projects jeopardized by the Patrick Administration's efforts to support a $9 million pedestrian footbridge, at least one local legislator went to bat for the long-planned Bellingham project. Outraged by media reports that influence by the Kraft Group, owners of the New England Patriots, could result in delay of several key local projects, Sen. Richard T. Moore, D-Uxbridge, contacted Massachusetts Department of Transportation CEO Jeffrey Mullan, as well as regional transportation planners and others to voice strong opposition to any move that appeared to place big corporate interests over community needs. Sen. Moore's office continued to press for restoration of priority status for the Bellingham project as late as last week with calls to the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission MPO to support the Pulaski Boulevard revitalization efforts. Subsequently, the MPO voted to assign federal stimulus ARRA funds for the project, potentially expediting the start of the project earlier in 2010 than initially expected. While there could still be administrative hurdles to address, the MPO vote squarely places the agency on Bellingham's side in the allocation of key federal funds. In view of the urgency of allocating the federal stimulus funding, the action is expected to push state highway officials to advertise the project months earlier than initially planned. Short-staffed utilities could also pose a problem in scheduling the needed pole relocations in a timely manner. While the projects that were in danger of losing funding were loosely reported, Sen. Moore took no hesitation in ensuring that Bellingham’s Pulaski Boulevard would remain a top priority. Sen. Moore’s letter to Secretary Mullan and the MPO expressed concern that local transportation projects were being jeopardized in place of a project that would service a relatively low population of people and that could be financed by the wealthy Kraft Group. The planned pedestrian footbridge includes two elevators, and is supposed to join parking lots for Gillette Stadium on each side of Route 1. |
