Becket Awarded Funds For Transportation Planning
BOSTON— The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), through its Office of Transportation Planning (OTP), announced the inaugural round of technical assistance for communities through the new Local Early and Actionable Planning (LEAP) Program.
In Berkshire County, Becket was awarded funds for the High Street Improvement Project.
The LEAP Program, launched earlier this year, is designed to help municipalities—particularly rural and underserved communities—initiate transportation projects by providing early-stage planning and design support.
"The LEAP Program is a critical investment in the future of our communities," said Governor Maura Healey. "When municipalities get the assistance they need early on, they can plan for more efficient and effective projects that improve our roads and bridges, reduce congestion and improve quality of life. We are committed to supporting these communities as they work to restore, repair and enhance key transportation projects while advancing local priorities across the state."
Through LEAP, participating municipalities receive direct planning and engineering assistance from MassDOT and its consultant partners. Typical activities include:
- Conceptual design and alternatives analyses
- Safety and traffic analyses
- Cost estimation and mapping support
- Early-stage design and engineering for smaller-scale projects
- Federal grant application development
The program is funded through $1 million included in Governor Healey's FY 2026 Capital Investment Plan and administered as part of MassDOT's capital budget.
Municipal leaders interested in future rounds of LEAP assistance can find information about eligibility, application timelines, and upcoming outreach events on the MassDOT Municipal Planning and Support website: https://www.mass.gov/massdot-municipal-planning-and-support. For any additional questions, they can write to MuniSupport@dot.state.ma.us.
Requests from municipalities that were not selected to advance this round will be kept on file for consideration in state fiscal year 2027 beginning in July 2026. These communities are also encouraged to contact MassDOT's Municipal Planning and Support Team to express continued interest in assistance through the program.
