Oxford, MA – Today, Congressman Richard E. Neal joined Oxford Town Manager Jennifer Callahan to announce $2,000,000 in federal funding for the Town of Oxford’s Main Street Improvement Project. This allocation was made possible through Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Congressman Neal included funding for this project in the Fiscal Year 2026 spending bill.
“I am proud to have secured $2,000,000 in congressionally directed spending for Oxford’s Main Street Improvement Project. With this funding, we are helping to strengthen Oxford’s downtown, support local businesses, and improve the quality of life for residents for years to come,” said Congressman Neal. “One of the most essential responsibilities of Congress is overseeing the expenditure of the public purse. Investing in our local infrastructure, especially projects that improve safety and accessibility and promote economic vitality, is certainly a worthwhile investment.”
The Oxford Main Street Improvement Project will implement complete streets improvements along the one-mile corridor of Main Street (Route 12) extending from Front Street to Fairlawn Avenue, a vital connector for residents, local businesses, and regional traffic. The reconstruction project will address several engineering and planning priorities by providing multimodal and accessible accommodations for all roadway users, including new bike accommodations, the installation of ADA/AAB-compliant pedestrian facilities, and the construction of curb ramps throughout the corridor. In addition, the project includes safety and operational improvements at the intersection of Main Street/Charlton Street/Sutton Avenue by providing modern traffic signal equipment, implementing geometric improvements, and resurfacing pavement. The design phase is expected to be completed in Fiscal Year 2027, with a construction timeframe of 2028-2029.
“This announcement is incredible for Oxford! It once again demonstrates Congressman Neal knows how to get things done in Washington for the people across his District. His tenacious advocacy to secure this critical funding for Oxford’s Main Street Project through two federal shutdowns, committee hearings, House and Senate formal sessions and signed by the President is truly remarkable,” said Oxford Town Manager Jennifer Callahan. “This major federal funding for Oxford’s infrastructure is essential to its transportation planning priorities, public safety improvements, ADA accessibility goals, and enhanced downtown vibrancy. This timely funding assistance reinvigorates our project and jumpstarts it forward to meet critical milestones.”
Under guidelines issued by the Senate and House Appropriations Committees, members of Congress requested CDS funding for projects in their state for Fiscal Year 2026. CDS requests were restricted to a limited number of federal funding streams, and only state and local governments, and eligible non-profit entities, were permitted to receive CDS funding.
This project is one of fifteen CDS projects submitted by Congressman Neal, totaling over $14 million in investments throughout the First Congressional District of Massachusetts.
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