Press Release: 6/24/2026

City Wins $850K Grant for Salem Street Improvements

 

City of Malden NewsPosted on June 01, 2026 

 

The City of Malden has been awarded $852,846 for improvements to Salem Street between Main Street and Broadway. The funds will be used to improve safety and efficiency for pedestrians, drivers, and bus riders. Malden received the funds through the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s (MassDOT) competitive Shared Streets and Spaces grant program.

“With this grant, we will make Salem Street safer and more efficient for all who live, work, and travel along Salem Street,” said Mayor Gary Christenson. “Our competitiveness for these grants is critical, especially in our current fiscal climate. I’m grateful to MassDOT for their award of these funds which will meaningfully improve the lives of residents along this roadway.” 

Proposed improvements on Salem Street include adding and repainting crosswalks, installing curb extensions and bump outs at intersections, installing parking and bus stop pavement markings, and providing transit signal priority where feasible. These improvements will create safer, more efficient conditions for pedestrians, drivers, bus riders, and those who live and work along Salem Street. The planned improvements do not include bus lanes or removing any parking.

The funding was secured by the City’s Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development (OSPCD), which has brought in more than $44 million in grant funding since July 2021, including $12.6 million for transportation-related improvements. 

Salem Street is a major east-west corridor in the City of Malden, and is home to the Malden Public Library, Malden Fire Department, Malden High School, Salemwood School, Mystic Valley Regional Charter School, the Davenport Memorial Home, as well as countless residences and businesses that are woven into the fabric of Malden’s community. The street is served by four MBTA bus routes – the 106, 108, 411, and 430. 

This year, $9.18 million was awarded to 34 cities as towns as part of the Shared Streets and Spaces grant program, including 14 construction awards amounting to $6.04 million – making Malden’s grant amount a significant portion of total funding awarded for this competitive grant program. The Shared Streets and Spaces grant program requires no local matching funds. 

For more information, please contact Transportation Planner Jim Tarr at jtarr@cityofmalden.org.