Burlington Police Awarded $39,618 Municipal Roadway Safety Grant

BURLINGTON — Chief Thomas Browne is pleased to report that the Burlington Police Department was awarded $39,618 from the Massachusetts Municipal Roadway Safety Grant program to address local traffic safety issues. 

This grant program makes federal funds available to provide police departments substantial flexibility in addressing local traffic safety issues, allowing funding beyond enforcement to include equipment options and developing novel traffic-safety programs. The goal is to support traditional enforcement activities and develop new strategies to reduce roadway crashes, injuries, fatalities, and associated economic losses in Massachusetts.

The grant funding will be used by Burlington Police for increased traffic enforcement with focus on impaired driving, distracted driving, seat belt enforcement and speed enforcement.

Burlington Police will also be using funding to print informational pamphlets about pedestrian and bicycle safety to be handed to school-aged children and teens.

Additionally, Burlington Police will purchase about 40 bicycle helmets to distribute to those in need, and will purchase three new LiDAR devices for speed enforcement. 

The department is also planning two child car seat check events using funds from this grant. Remaining funding will be used to send about 40 students to crash prevention 101 training. 

The grant funds were made available by the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS) and allocated by the Office of Grants and Research (OGR).

“I’d like to express our appreciation to the state and federal agencies for this funding, which will boost our efforts to keep our roadways safe in Burlington,” said Chief Browne. “I would also like to use this opportunity to ask Burlington drivers to respect the speed limit and never drive impaired or distracted. We will be watching and enforcing the rules of the road as we work to prevent tragedies.”