Worcester Sidewalks To Get ADA Upgrades With $130K In State Funding

WORCESTER, MA — Worcester is expected to receive more than $100,000 to put toward its sidewalks, according to state officials.

Worcester will get $130,000 in state funding to repair and replace sidewalk curb ramps to meet ADA wheelchair guidelines, Sen. Michael Moore (D-2nd Worcester) announced in a social media post on Tuesday. The legislator said the funding comes from a legislative earmark included in the state budget supported by revenue from the Fair Share Amendment.

"These dollars will make the city more accessible to those in wheelchairs by bringing sidewalks up to ADA standards," Sen. Moore wrote in the announcement.

The funding comes from the state’s “Fair Share” surtax, approved by voters in 2022, which adds an additional tax on annual income over $1 million. It's also known as the "millionaires tax."

Revenue generated by the Fair Share Amendment is placed into a state fund dedicated to public education and transportation and distributed through the annual budget process rather than as direct payments to individual communities.

That means local districts like Worcester can receive targeted investments when lawmakers include project-specific allocations in the state budget or direct funding through eligible programs.

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