WORCESTER – A $3.7 million federal grant will enable work at the Route 20 and Grafton Street interchange in Worcester to provide flood relief to areas of Worcester and Shrewsbury.
The grant, funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and issued through the Department of Transportation’s Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-saving Transportation (PROTECT) Grant Program, covers 80 percent of the project’s total costs.
Governor Maura Healey called the award, “a game changer for Worcester and Shrewsbury,” and said the state needs to “act now on critical transportation infrastructure projects like this, which will provide urgently needed relief for communities impacted by flooding and strengthen resilience.”
The project aims to alleviate flooding, improve water quality, and increase transportation infrastructure climate resilience for this stretch of critical roadway. A dedicated trunk line and numerous new drainage inlets will be installed, including improvements to existing drainage infrastructure. The project is expected to increase the ability of low-lying areas to drain during storms and have significant effects on flooding frequency and duration. Much of the existing infrastructure affecting the area was built in the 1930s.
“These funds will bring great relief to the Grafton Street/Route 20 area under the Route 122 overpass, which is prone to flooding during storms and poor drainage, impacting residents’ travel,” said Worcester City Manager Eric D. Batista.
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