West Springfield, MA — On Tuesday, August 18, Congressman Richard E. Neal joined West Springfield Mayor Will Reichelt, city councilors, and local officials to highlight the impact of federal investments made possible by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). More than $1.5 billion has been invested across the First Congressional District.
In West Springfield, nearly $100 million was invested in projects and initiatives, with funding streams including:
- $39.4 million in funding from the ARPA, consisting of $8.5 million in Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery funding and $30.9 million in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief III funding.
- $60 million in funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act
“When you consider what House Democrats were able to accomplish in just four years, it is truly quite remarkable. The three legislative achievements we are highlighting on this tour are certainly among the most consequential that I’ve been a part of during my career. With those dollars now having been put into action, I think it’s important that we take the time to take stock of these investments and inform the public as to what we’ve been able to accomplish,” said Congressman Neal. “I am pleased to join with Mayor Reichelt and members of the West Springfield City Council, all of whom have done a terrific job investing these federal dollars. Whether it be improvements to the Town’s infrastructure, issuing grants to local nonprofits and businesses, or enhancing public safety, West Springfield demonstrated what an effective partnership with the federal government should look like. I have no doubt that the residents will see the benefits of these investments for years to come.”
As a result of the ARPA, the Town of West Springfield was able to invest in its infrastructure, parks and recreation, public safety, community organizations, small-business recovery, municipal facilities, technology, and resident services. Projects supported by ARPA funds include:
- $1.13 million towards transportation and pedestrian improvements, including:
- The Piper Road/Amostown Road intersection
- The Piper Road Complete Streets/Road Diet project
- The Dewey Street sidewalks
- The South Boulevard/Park Street/River Street intersection
- Complete Streets sidewalk improvements
- Kings Highway
- $249,200 for the design work of the Route 5 water main
- $2.8 million towards park and school improvements, such as:
- $1 million for the Middle School track and improvements to the Middle School athletic fields
- $514,000 for the Memorial Pool Splash Pad
- More than $620,000 for townwide playground equipment and ground-cover improvements.
- Additional funding also supported tennis courts, tree planting and maintenance, park entrances, the East-West Bike Trail Study, greenhouse and tree nursery improvements, and other recreational and environmental projects.
- Investments in public safety, including:
- $856,000 towards the Town’s consolidated emergency dispatch initiative
- Additional funding supported firefighter turnout gear and emergency call boxes, as well as Police Department equipment, dispatch improvements, police bicycles and e-bikes, and start-up equipment for Animal Control.
- Investments in community organizations and businesses that serve West Springfield residents, including $746,000 to nonprofit and community organizations, such as the West Springfield Boys & Girls Club, the Irish Cultural Center, the Eastern States Exposition/Hooplandia, the Tatham Club, and Friends of the Springfield Veterans Center.
- Investments in municipal and school facility needs, including $648,000 towards improvements to the Municipal Office Building, Council on Aging, Police Department, school buildings, Morgan Road pavilion, and other Town facilities.
- Investments in technology and municipal modernization, including $741,000 towards municipal fiber infrastructure and additional funding for Police Department software upgrades and municipal record digitization.
“We approached ARPA as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make investments that would have a lasting impact on West Springfield,” said Mayor Reichelt. “These funds allowed us to take on major projects like our consolidated dispatch center, the Middle School track and the Memorial Pool splash pad while preserving local resources for other important needs. The result is stronger public safety, better community facilities and infrastructure that will serve our residents for years to come.”
In addition to the ARPA, MassDOT has received nearly $60 million from the IIJA and the IRA to support infrastructure projects that will benefit the Town of West Springfield, including:
- The rehabilitation of Route 5 (Riverdale Road) from I-91 to Main Street in Holyoke and from Elm Street to North Elm Street in West Springfield
- Pavement and bridge preservation on I-91
The Town also received a $198,603 grant through the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Emerging Contaminants for Small or Disadvantaged Communities program. The funding supports a Granular Activated Carbon Pilot Study for the Southwick Wellfield treatment facility. This project will assist the Town in evaluating treatment strategies for emerging contaminants to ensure the continued safety, reliability, and resiliency of West Springfield’s drinking-water infrastructure.
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