Funding will help support efforts to make local streets safer
BOSTON – The Reading Police Department has been awarded a $10,032 grant to help improve safety on local roadways as part of the Federal Fiscal Year 2025 Municipal Road Safety (MRS) Grant Program administered through the state’s Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS).
House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading), State Representative Richard M. Haggerty (D-Woburn) and State Senator Jason M. Lewis (D-Winchester) commended Reading Police Chief David J. Clark, Reading Police Department Traffic and Safety Officer Michael Scouten, and Reading Police Lieutenant Christopher Jones for submitting a successful grant application. Reading was one of 192 municipal police departments to be approved for funding this year, with a combined total of over $5.6 million awarded in the latest round of grants.
Funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the MRS Grant Program provides access to federal grant money to assist municipal police departments with implementing measures to address local traffic safety issues and reduce crash-related injuries and fatalities. The grants are approved following a competitive application process and are distributed through EOPSS’ Office of Grants and Resources (OGR) on a cost-reimbursable basis.
“The objective of this grant is to enhance pedestrian and bicyclist safety in the community,” said Officer Scouten. “The Reading Police Department is dedicated to improving traffic safety and responding to residents’ concerns about vehicles failing to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks. In collaboration with Safe Routes to School, MassDOT, and local officials, the department has developed a plan to ensure safer pedestrian crossings and walking routes, particularly for schoolchildren, commuters, and visitors to the downtown business district. This initiative is expected to increase public safety by promoting greater compliance with pedestrian and bicycle laws, reducing accidents, and educating the community on safe practices.”
A total of $8,632 in grant funding will be allocated for pedestrian and bicycle enforcement overtime, focusing on monitoring crosswalks. Beginning in November and continuing through September, officers will conduct two four-hour enforcement shifts per month. These efforts will target pedestrian and crosswalk violations, with uniformed officers patrolling on foot in areas with heavy pedestrian traffic, such as the downtown business district and the commuter rail depot. Additionally, two officers will carry out decoy operations in high-pedestrian, high-traffic zones, including school zones and the downtown area, to identify and address violations of pedestrian crosswalk laws by vehicles and bicyclists.
The remaining $1,400 in grant funding will be used to purchase 140 children’s bicycle safety helmets from Helmets R Us, which will be distributed during the department’s annual open house. Along with the helmets, safety education packets will be provided, emphasizing the importance of bicycle helmet safety. Officers from the department’s bicycle unit will also conduct demonstrations on the proper way to wear helmets.
Last year, the Reading Police Department received a $4,880 grant under the MRS Grant Program, which was used primarily to monitor specific crosswalks that had been cited as areas of concern by residents and also to purchase bicycle helmets. As part of this effort, the Reading Police Department used a combination of education and selective enforcement tactics to try to increase safety awareness among motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists.
“Congratulations to Chief Clark and the Reading Police Department for once again securing this critical grant funding to help improve road safety throughout the community,” said Representative Jones. “This latest round of funding assistance will help to further the department’s ongoing efforts to make Reading’s roadways safer for all residents.”
“I am pleased to see Reading receive this grant funding and want to congratulate Chief Clark and the Reading Police Department for their efforts in securing this important grant award,” said Representative Haggerty. “This additional funding will provide the department with more resources to help bolster road safety initiatives, making our streets safer for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists alike.”
“Pedestrian and road safety is one of the top concerns I hear from my constituents,” said Senator Lewis. “I’m grateful to the Reading Police Department for proactively working to identify areas of concern and working diligently to keep pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers safe in Reading.”
