MassDOT receives $360,000 ICAM Program grant to launch two-year statewide mobility management pilot
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has received a $360,000 grant from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Innovative Coordinated Access & Mobility (ICAM) Program to undertake a two-year statewide mobility management pilot. The pilot program will expand mobility by helping connect potential riders to a wide range of services and bring organizations together where there are gaps in the transportation network.
"Our administration is committed to increasing transportation options across the state. This grant from the FTA will help us make critical improvements to make our transportation system more accessible for everyone,” said Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey. "We’re grateful to the Biden-Harris Administration and FTA for this award and committed to continuing to compete for federal dollars to improve quality of life in Massachusetts.”
"We are looking forward to working with municipal leaders and other stakeholders to identify additional ways we can support the transportation needs of older adults, individuals who are low-income and residents with disabilities,” said Massachusetts Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll. "Our administration is focused on expanding mobility by identifying where the gaps exist and addressing them."
The $360,000 pilot program will fund a statewide mobility management pilot, including hiring a statewide mobility manager and related contractual and administrative support. The project will cover the entire state, including Justice40 communities.
In 2023, MassDOT conducted an extensive study to explore whether a statewide system of Regional Mobility Managers would benefit older adults, people with disabilities and low-income people by improving the awareness, availability, accessibility and efficiency of transportation services for those populations.
MassDOT published the study on Jan. 31, 2024. While the study looked at how mobility management systems function in other states, the primary focus was a deep dive into exploring the perspectives of on-the-ground practitioners helping people with mobility challenges and low income-navigate the existing transportation systems. The study found support for a statewide mobility management program and lays out a series of action steps for MassDOT to pilot the program in a way that complements the work being done by the practitioners on the ground.
Building on the recommendations of the MassDOT Regional Mobility Manager Study, the ICAM grant award will require MassDOT to work closely with a steering committee. MassDOT notes the committee already includes partner state agencies that manage statewide programs and initiatives related to aging and disability and assisted MassDOT with the recently completed regional mobility study.
In addition to the ICAM grant, the Healey-Driscoll Administration has secured nearly $6 billion in federal funding since taking office and currently has a total of more than $3 billion in current requests pending for federal funds for infrastructure, climate and economic development projects.
In 2023, the administration won a $108 million award for West-East Rail, a $372 million award for the Sagamore Bridge Replacement Project and a $116 million grant for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's (MBTA) purchase of battery-electric buses. Additional grants received recently include $67 million for accessibility improvements at 14 MBTA Green Line station stops and approximately $3.3 million for six municipal airports in Massachusetts.
"We'd like to thank the Biden Administration for making this mobility pilot in Massachusetts possible," said MassDOT’s Director of Federal Funds and Infrastructure Quentin Palfrey. "We continue to be grateful to our congressional delegation for supporting our applications as we compete for federal funding and bring federal investment to communities across Massachusetts."
