GREENFIELD — A proposed amendment to the Massachusetts 2017 state budget could help solve the city’s upcoming courthouse parking problem downtown.
According to Senate President Stan Rosenberg’s office, the amendment provides the city $50,000 for a “transportation pilot program.”
“The money would be used to accommodate ideas generated by the School Committee related to student transportation and alleviate parking problems anticipated for later this year when the new Greenfield District Courthouse opens on Main Street,” Greenfield Mayor William Martin said.
The building is set to open this October, will have about 100 parking spaces for more than 150 courthouse employees. A three story addition was built over space previously alloted for parking.
“It would also be used to help create a free, fixed-location shuttle that would run between fixed points in Greenfield,” the mayor said. “Those locations have yet to be determined.”
The amendment, called “the Hudson shuttle program,” is sponsored by Senator Jamie Eldridge from the Middlesex and Worcester District, and contains two provisions: $50,000 for Greenfield, and another $50,000 for Hudson.
The senate president’s office said the grant would probably be voted on by lawmakers today.
There are more than 1,000 amendments to the budget this year.
Martin said the amendment will still need to survive a conference committee, if both chambers pass their budgets. If the amendment passes the conference committee, it will go on to the governor for his approval.
You can reach Andy Castillo at:
acastillo@recorder.com
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