A federal funding bill that ended last year’s US government shutdown also unlocked funding for the Blue Hill Avenue center-running bus lane and improvement project.

The $80.3 million from the Federal Transportation Administration (FTA) represents a commitment to fully fund the controversial project that has been in discussion and planning for more than six years.

The news of the funding was first reported by StreetsBlog on March 5 and confirmed by the Reporter today. The money was included in the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations bill that was approved by Congress in January and signed into law by President Donald Trump on Feb. 4.

“The funding approved in the THUD bill is a commitment by Congress and the President to fully fund this project,” an MBTA spokesperson told The Reporter. “The $80.3 million is the full amount of CIG (Capital Investment Grants) funding requested by the MBTA in the Small Starts submittal and represents 49.4 percent of the total project costs. This appropriation represents the largest singular source of funding for this project.”

Total project costs in the past have been cited at between $150 million and $160 million. There has been no public timeline offered by state or city leaders about when work might begin.

The federal funding is in addition to other federal grants already secured, including an initial $15 million Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability & Equity (RAISE) grant secured in 2021 specifically for the center-running bus lane by US Rep. Ayanna Pressley and US Rep. Stephen Lynch. Other state and city resources have also been committed to the project, which stretches from Mattapan Square to Grove Hall.

Detailed construction plans shown to the community in late 2024 included the center-running bus lane along the corridor with nine to 11 center-located stations – and also vehicle travel areas narrowing to one lane at key areas like at the Talbot and Harvard Street intersection and the Seaver and Blue Hill intersection. The plans also include updating sidewalks, planting new trees, beautifying emptier areas using pocket parks, and a full rebuilding and repaving of the street.

District 7 Councillor Miniard Culpepper, who represents a large section of the neighborhood impacted by the project, said he supports long-overdue improvements, including expanded tree canopy, streetscape upgrades, safer sidewalks, improved lighting, and other investments “after decades of disinvestment.”

But Culpepper said his constituents are concerned about the center-running bus lane.

“We are all aligned that this community deserves safe, reliable, and affordable transportation and neighborhoods where people can thrive,” he said. “But our residents deserve a voice in shaping their neighborhoods. The community deserves the same level of responsiveness that other Boston neighborhoods have received when major transit changes were proposed. I welcome more communication from those involved to ensure any project supports the people and businesses most affected.”

The Greater Mattapan Neighborhood Council (GMNC), which has held extensive planning meetings on the matter, said in a statement that the funding represented “meaningful progress,” but added that “construction funding alone does not meet the standard of holistic investment that Mattapan residents have consistently called for.”

A position paper published by GMNC in 2025 argued that the redesign should address historic inequities, long-term maintenance deficiencies, and opportunities for people already living on the corridor.

“Our June 2025 GMNC Response made clear that the redesign must be holistically funded, not just built, but built in a way that delivers real economic development for small businesses in Mattapan Square and along the corridor, protects the homeowners who invested here when others would not, and improves the health outcomes of our residents,” the organization wrote. “This community requires that the people who have carried it through decades of disinvestment receive the first and greatest share of the benefits. Anything less is not equity.”

State Sen. Liz Miranda – who the corridor and has a community office on Blue Hill Avenue in Grove Hall – said she hears about the project every day from constituents, and they are asking for “safer streets, road repairs, clean and well-maintained sidewalks, and a corridor that reflects pride in our neighborhoods.”

She said it doesn’t feel safe now on Blue Hill Avenue, and noted that safer pedestrian crossings, better sidewalks, and improved roadways should come first before a center-lane bus program.

A view of Blue Hill Avenue near Talbot Avenue and Franklin Field on March 6, 2026. Seth Daniel photo

“Before we move forward with a massive reconstruction project and a center bus lane that many residents are not asking for, we should be focused on fixing these everyday quality-of-life issues,” she wrote in a statement to The Reporter. “Respectfully, the MBTA has not yet demonstrated the level of stewardship needed for a project of this scale. Our office and community members are still asking the MBTA to address basic concerns like snow removal and maintenance along the corridor.”

She said any investment in Blue Hill Avenue should begin by restoring safety and addressing long-standing quality of life concerns, and importantly, “building trust with the community before moving forward with a project that will reshape this corridor for generations.”

State Rep. Russell Holmes, who represents a large swath of the corridor and supports the center-bus lane concept, said the commitment of funding shows that the plan is sound and should be supported.

“This signals, even with the Trump Administration, when you do a thorough analysis Blue Hill Avenue is still the right place to do a dedicated bus lane,” he said, noting these are very competitive grants and it wasn’t a given to get the $80.3 million.

He also noted federal transportation money has been turned away in the past for the Blue Hill Avenue corridor. That, he said, shouldn’t be done again.

“We have the city, state, and federal partners in place,” he said. “We need not make a mistake like we made in 2009 and turn down funds from our federal partners. We should not make the same mistake because these are once in a lifetime funds and we have them twice in a lifetime now.”

The Reporter has not yet received official comment from Mayor Wu’s office about the status of the project and the new funding. The mayor has championed the project in recent years. But the project has also been the subject of debate and opposition.

District 5 Councillor Enrique Pepen, who represents part of the southern end of Blue Hill Avenue, said he has done a lot of research on safety and bus operations and is supportive of the project going forward – particularly to alleviate slow bus travel times.

However, he also supports the GMNC’s position on how funds should be dispersed.

“This corridor is home to the heavily used 28 bus, one of the busiest routes in the entire MBTA , and riders are asking for faster, more reliable travel times,” Pepen said. “As this project moves forward, it’s critical that we continue working closely with the community to ensure the plans reflect the needs of those who live and work along the corridor. I also echo the GMNC’s call for this project to be holistically funded so it not only improves transportation, but also supports small businesses, protects long time homeowners, and improves health outcomes for residents. I hope this marks the beginning of the sustained investment this corridor has long deserved.”

District 4 Councillor Brian Worrell, and state Rep. Chris Worrell were not in favor of elevating the center-lane bus project at the Blue Hill Avenue location.

“This proposal in its current form is problematic, lacks community support, and is a classic example of policy being made without community input,” said Rep. Chris Worrell. “More than 2,000 residents and small business owners have already signed petitions opposing this plan, and the message I hear every day on Blue Hill Avenue is clear: the community does not support this project.”

Worrell said he supports investments to upgrade the corridor, but opposes the center-lane bus concept, saying that “forcing through a massive reconstruction that the people who live and work here do not support is the wrong approach. Our neighborhoods deserve real partnership, not top-down decisions.”

Councillor Brian Worrell – like many elected officials – said he was somewhat surprised that the funding was approved, noting he wasn’t informed “It was this far along.”

While in favor of pedestrian safety, and infrastructure upgrades, he said he doesn’t support the center-lane bus on Blue Hill Avenue.

“It’s time now for beautification; let’s beautify Blue Hill Avenue now because that’s what residents are talking about,” he said.

He also noted that with recent studies coming out about life expectancy disparities in Black communities like the Blue Hill Avenue corridor, it would make more sense to get a bus that goes to Longwood Medical Area.

“It’s about when and what is our priority now,” he said. “Should we have a center-running bus lane here or should we prioritize getting a bus directly from our neighborhood to Longwood Medical Area? It’s not being against; it’s what is our priority.”

State Rep. Brandy Fluker-Reid noted a more balanced approach for transit and vehicles and stressed that enforcement on the corridor is going to be critical.

“Our community deserves this investment and transit-friendly roads that both drivers and pedestrians feel safe using daily,” she said. “Blue Hill Ave is a major thoroughfare in our city with long-standing commercial districts. Double parking is a constant reality on Blue Hill Ave, and the MBTA must ensure that the needs of our small businesses and their patrons are prioritized so that they can sustain and flourish.”

City Councillor Ruthzee Louijeune said: “This level of investment in Blue Hill Avenue is much-needed to improve transit and make street and sidewalk updates for accessibility and beautification. At the same time, it is incredibly important that the MBTA and the city are listening to the concerns and feedback of residents, churches, and businesses along Blue Hill Avenue before moving forward with any one idea, similar to how critical feedback in certain other communities is listened to.”