The Baker-Polito administration announced $5 million in grants for 10 projects that will help disadvantaged communities advance clean and equitable transportation projects.
Cutting emissions is the primary goal, but those involved say the pilots will have other added bonuses like reducing road congestion and increasing pedestrian safety. The administration wrote in a press release Tuesday that the new projects factor into Massachusetts’ target of net-zero emissions by 2050, as well as creating a more equitable commonwealth.
Electric bikes are at the center of four of the 10 proposals. Boston is receiving nearly half a million dollars to develop an e-cargo bike delivery pilot program for local residents and businesses in Allston.
Matt Warfield, who works on reaching carbon emissions goals for the Boston Transportation Department, told GBH News that using e-bikes instead of delivery vans or trucks will have many benefits: “smaller vehicles in our streets and our communities, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, reduced noise and environmental pollution that that large delivery trucks produce.”
And he says another goal of the pilot is to make neighborhood streets safer.
“We have delivery vehicles stopping in bus lanes, bike lanes, crosswalks — anywhere they can find space to jump out and deliver their packages,” Warfield said, “and it creates unsafe conditions, especially for pedestrians.”
The largest grant of $1,000,000 will go to Metro Mobility, a company that focuses on improving urban transportation. The funds will go to three different e-bike ownership and share models in the Greater Boston area.
Ariel Horowitz says another goal is to electrify the taxi and ride share industries. Horowitz, a senior program director focused on clean transportation and technology development with the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, which is coordinating the grant program.
The Way Forward Taxi Alliance will receive $500,000 to pilot an incentive program for taxi electrification in Greater Boston, with a focus on minority-owned taxi companies. It will offer direct financial assistance to drivers and taxi companies to help them electrify their fleet.
Horowitz says the program will also allow Uber and Lyft drivers to more easily obtain electric cars.
“EVs are especially valuable to taxi and ride share drivers because of the lower operation and maintenance costs, not to mention avoiding the rising cost of fuel,” she said.
