WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Town of Williamstown has received a total of $835,000 in state grants to advance major community improvement and tourism initiatives in town.

 

The commonwealth has awarded $500,000 through the Community One Stop for Growth program to support the Main Street Corridor Improvements Project. The One Stop program funds local efforts across Massachusetts that promote housing, economic development, and community revitalization.

 

Town Manager Robert Menicocci hinted at the grants at an October meeting.

 

Revitalizing the Town Green

The Williamstown project will improve bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure and bring ADA compliance to the Main Street (Route 2) corridor — from the Field Park rotary east through the intersection with Water Street (Route 43). The project is currently in the design phase.

 

This stretch of Main Street, including the green space on both sides, is town-owned land that runs through the center of Williams College. The Town Green serves as the College's "front lawn" and the busiest roadway in Williamstown — vital to the daily lives of residents, students, and visitors alike. However, the corridor's current design lacks bicycle accommodations and creates multiple pedestrian–vehicle conflict points. In addition, the decrease of the historic tree canopy and the presence of overhead utility lines have diminished the area's visual character.

 

Over the past five years, the Town and the College have developed planning documents that identify this corridor as a key barrier to safe and efficient movement through town. The redesign aligns with three major recent planning efforts: The Williams Campus Plan, The Williams College Landscape Study, and Envisioning Williamstown 2035, which is the Town's master plan.

 

The project will bury overhead utilities, restore a resilient tree canopy, enhance pedestrian and bicycle access, and calm traffic. Together, these improvements will create a safer, more accessible, and more beautiful gateway connecting the campus, town center, the Clark Art Institute, and the new Williams College Museum of Art (WCMA), scheduled to open in 2027 at Field Park rotary.

 

"We are excited to bring back the historic beauty of the Town Green while also improving accessibility and multimodal transportation," said Andrew Groff, Community Development Director. "This grant will help us reach MassDOT Project Initiation and open the door to additional funding opportunities to see the project through to completion."

 

Additional Local Grants Support Tourism and Recreation

In addition to the One Stop award, three Williamstown organizations received funding through the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism's Destination Development Capital Grant Program (DDC):

The DDC program supports projects that strengthen local economies by enhancing tourism infrastructure, expanding destinations, and building community resilience.

 

"These grants reflect the strong partnership between the Town, Williams College, and our community organizations," said Town Manager Bob Menicocci. "Together, we're building a Williamstown that offers an even better quality of life for residents, faculty, students, and visitors alike."