Great Barrington Awarded Microtransit and Last-Mile Transit Grant

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GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — MassDOT awarded the town $600,000 to continue their microtransit program serving Southern Berkshire County. 
 
The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced nine awards totaling $10 million through the Massachusetts Department of Transportation Microtransit and Last-Mile Transit Grant Program. 
 
The funding will support Regional Transit Authorities, municipalities, and a Regional Planning Agency in expanding flexible, technology-enabled transit options that improve access to jobs, housing, education and essential services across Massachusetts.  
 
"Through MassDOT's new Microtransit and Last Mile Transit Grant Program, MassDOT is empowering municipalities, RTAs and Regional Planning Agencies to deliver innovative transportation solutions that focus on connectivity between transit hubs and destinations. These programs will connect riders to the jobs, housing, education and destinations they depend on, while improving quality of life across the Commonwealth," said Interim MassDOT Secretary and MBTA General Manager Phil?Eng. "Thank you to the Healey-Driscoll Administration for their leadership in supporting these investments and to the Legislature for their continued commitment to expanding transportation options for all Massachusetts residents."
 
The grants will support projects that use microtransit, on-demand shared-ride services, and last-mile connections that link riders to transit hubs and key destinations. Award recipients will use the funding to expand rural access, improve mobility for people who lack transit options, and support communities advancing sustainable housing and transportation planning. Three awards will fund regional bikeshare initiatives that strengthen first and last mile connections, while six awards support microtransit services.  
 
This is a new grant program made possible by $10 million in Fair Share funding through the FY25 Supplemental budget. This round was competitive, and additional applications will be funded through the Community Transit Grant Program operating and mobility management funding, with award announcements forthcoming.  

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Reps. Leigh Davis, Bud Williams Filing Legislation Honoring Freeman

SHEFFIELD, Mass. — State Reps. Leigh Davis of the 3rd Berkshire District and Bud L. Williams, of the 11th Hampden District, are filing legislation establishing Aug. 22 as Elizabeth Freeman Day of Equality, Healing, and Remembrance in the commonwealth.
 
The legislation would direct the governor to annually issue a proclamation recognizing the courageous contributions of Elizabeth Freeman, an enslaved Black woman known as Mum Bett, whose landmark freedom suit helped spark the legal end of slavery in Massachusetts.
 
"Elizabeth Freeman's story began here in the Berkshires, but its impact reached every corner of the commonwealth," said Davis. "More than two centuries later, her legacy continues to inspire us. Establishing Elizabeth Freeman Day will ensure that future generations learn not only about her extraordinary bravery, but also about the power of one person to change the course of history."
 
In 1781, Freeman, of Sheffield at the time, challenged the institution of slavery by filing suit against her enslaver, Col. John Ashley. In the landmark case Brom and Bett v. Ashley, a Berkshire County jury ruled in favor of Freeman and her fellow plaintiff, Brom, granting them their freedom. The case demonstrated the power of the Massachusetts Constitution's declaration that all people are born free and equal and helped pave the way for the Quock Walker decisions that ultimately ended slavery in the commonwealth. 
 
"Freeman's courage changed the course of history in Massachusetts," said Williams. "At a time when the odds were stacked against her, she stood up and demanded that the promises of liberty and equality contained in our Constitution apply to her as well. She risked everything to challenge an unjust system, and her victory helped lay the foundation for the end of slavery in our commonwealth. Her legacy deserves to be recognized and remembered by every resident of Massachusetts."
 
Although unable to read or write, Freeman understood the meaning of freedom and equality and took extraordinary action to secure those rights for herself and others. Her story remains one of the most powerful examples of individual courage in the face of injustice. 
 
Elizabeth Freeman Day will provide an opportunity for reflection, education, healing, and remembrance, said Williams. 
 
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