President Donald Trump’s administration has pulled $327 million in federal funding from Massachusetts’ Allston Multimodal transportation project after signing a law to end the Neighborhood Access and Equity Program.
Democratic Governor Maura Healey and state officials confirmed the rescission, which left the state with only $8 million of the original award and prompted a strategic review of the multimodal infrastructure overhaul planned for Boston’s Allston neighborhood.
Newsweek has contacted the Allston Multimodal Project for comment via email.
Why It Matters
The decision followed a recent pattern of federal infrastructure funding reversals under the Trump administration. In July, the federal government revoked $4 billion previously earmarked for California’s high-speed rail system. State officials and transit advocates have voiced concern that such cuts could stall or derail ambitious public transportation upgrades intended to alleviate congestion, modernize travel and fuel economic revitalization in major metropolitan regions.
What To Know
The $327 million grant for the Allston Multimodal Project, awarded under the now-eliminated Neighborhood Access and Equity Program, was rescinded as part of a broader federal funding shift.
According to official statements from the governor’s office, the project’s goals include new infrastructure for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, improved connections for underserved areas and eventual redevelopment of the adjacent Beacon Park Yard.
State transportation officials said they would retain $8 million and have begun a strategic review of the project’s scope and cost in light of the sudden financial shortfall.
The grant, originally awarded in 2023, was intended to help realign a stretch of Interstate 90, add a new MBTA commuter rail station in Boston’s West Station area, support new pedestrian and bicycle routes, and expand space for local redevelopment.
The rescinded Massachusetts grant follows Trump’s high-profile withdrawal of $4 billion from California’s rail program, which he described as “disastrously overpriced” and a “train to nowhere.”
The California High-Speed Rail Authority has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, alleging that the decision to cut the funding was an “arbitrary and capricious abuse of authority.”
What People Are Saying
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey said in a news release on July 18: “Massachusetts won this funding to support our communities and our economy—and the Trump Administration needs to restore it.
“Why would any President of the United States oppose a project that will improve transportation for residents and visitors alike, create thousands of construction jobs, support local businesses and create space for new housing? We all benefit from that. The people of Massachusetts deserve better from their federal government.”
Massachusetts Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt said in the news release: “The loss of the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Grant does not change our commitment to the communities that are counting on this investment. We will move forward with a strategic review of the project, both analyzing the project costs and consulting with an outside engineering firm to assess the project.”
What Happens Next
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation has launched a strategic review of the Allston Multimodal Project, evaluating new ways to achieve the project’s transportation and urban planning goals within their reduced financial capacity.
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