Middleton loses $2 million state grant after failing to comply with MBTA Communities Act

Middleton's $2 Million Grant Overdue Due to Noncompliance with State Regulations

The town of Middleton has suffered a setback in its efforts to improve the safety of one of the most congested intersections on the North Shore, after losing out on a $2 million state grant. The funding was meant to support the reconstruction of the Route 62 and Route 114 intersection, a major bottleneck area that saw nearly 25,000 vehicles pass through daily.

According to local officials, Middleton failed to adopt required zoning under the MBTA Communities Act, which is a critical component of the state's communities development program. This noncompliance led to the town being deemed ineligible for the grant by state officials.

The funding was part of the Healey-Driscoll administration's Community One Stop for Growth program and was administered by the Executive Office of Economic Development. The project aimed to improve safety, widen the roadway, add new traffic signals, and update pavement markings and signage at the intersection.

Residents are now facing the prospect that the housing development set to be completed alongside the reconstruction will go ahead without the long-awaited road safety upgrades. "It's going to take a very difficult and dangerous intersection and inject 60 households worth of vehicles into it with no improvements," said Justin Sultzbach, Middleton Town Administrator.

Critics say that state officials have failed the town, citing that the decision has real safety implications. "The health and safety of citizens of the Commonwealth should take precedence over trying to teach Middleton a lesson," Sultzbach stated. Cresta added, "This is probably one of the most dangerous intersections on the North Shore."

Ugh , this is so frustrating! I mean, $2 million is a huge chunk of change for any town, and now it's just gonna get swallowed up because of some red tape? It's crazy how much stress this must be putting on the residents, especially with all those daily commuters zipping by. And now they're saying the housing development will go ahead without any improvements... that's just a recipe for disaster !

Ugh, come on state officials ! You're basically saying that you'd rather deny funding to fix a ridiculously congested intersection than make Middleton follow some obscure zoning rules . Newsflash: public safety is way more important than bureaucrats playing politics . And what's up with this "teaching Middleton a lesson" nonsense? They're already struggling to keep up with development, do you really want to add to their headaches? 60 new households mean 60 new drivers, that's just asking for trouble on an already sketchy intersection. Get your priorities straight and get the funding flowing already!

really disappointing news for the people of Middleton. $2 million is a huge chunk of change and it's going to waste because they couldn't get their act together with the zoning regulations. I mean, I get that mistakes happen but this is a big deal for an intersection that already sees a ton of traffic daily. 60 new households are gonna bring even more drivers into that mix and now nothing's getting done to make it safer. The town admin dude is right though, it is pretty harsh to leave the safety of citizens hanging out to dry like this.

ugh man dont believe this $2 million grant just went up in smoke cuz middleton didnt follow rules cant imagine how frustrating that must be 4 local residents who wanna drive thru dat intersection without worrying bout their lives 60 more households mean 60 more cars on the road, it's like a recipe 4 disaster gotta wonder what other towns are out there gettin robbed of grant money cuz theyre not perfect middleton might need 2 try again next time, or maybe its time 4 state officials 2 take another look @ dat community development program

this is so frustrating for residents who need improved road safety ASAP! $2 million just sits there unused because of some technicalities... I feel bad for Justin Sultzbach and all his team trying to make the town a better place, but it's not fair when they get denied like that .

I'm telling you, this isn't just about the grant being overdue... it's like they're setting Middleton up for failure . I mean, what if this was a test run to see how much we can push our local governments before something goes wrong? And who benefits from that, exactly? The construction companies and developers who are making those big bucks off of housing developments? It's all about the Benjamins, folks...

Ugh I'm so done with how these forums always mess up like this . I was reading about Middleton losing out on that $2 million grant because they messed up with zoning and now it's gonna make their intersection even worse... seriously what's the point of having a forum if we can't even have a decent discussion?

I mean, I get it, mistakes happen but come on, state officials should be able to communicate better. And it's not like Middleton was trying hard enough or anything, they just didn't know about some obscure law .

This is where the forum fails me though... why can't we have a more organized system for news? Like a proper thread or something instead of having to scroll through ages old comments just to find what I'm looking for . Can't we just use Google or something?

just found out that Middleton lost out on $2 million in state grant funds because they didn't follow some zoning rules . I mean, I get it, following rules is important and all that but $2 million is a huge chunk of change . Now the townspeople are stuck with an intersection that's already super congested and it's going to be even worse . I'm not sure if state officials were totally justified in taking away the grant, but at the same time, Middleton did mess up . Can't say for sure who's right or wrong here , but one thing's for sure - it's gonna be a bumpy ride for those 60 new houses and their drivers

Ugh, this is just so frustrating ! I mean, come on, state officials need to step up their game and support communities that are trying to make things better for everyone. It's not like Middleton was being reckless or anything... they were just a little slow to comply with the regulations . And now, people's lives are at risk because of it . I mean, 60 households more traffic at that already congested intersection? That's just asking for trouble! The town administrator is right, this decision has serious safety implications and it feels like state officials are being too harsh . Can't they find a way to work with Middleton instead of piling on the pressure?

Can't believe our state officials are more worried about teaching towns a lesson than actually helping them out! I'm not saying Middleton didn't make mistakes, but $2 million gone? That's like losing out on a chance to upgrade a school for 200 kids . The safety of our residents should be the priority here! What's next, are they gonna take away funding from hospitals and schools too? And honestly, I'm not sure how many more congested intersections can our state handle before it becomes a major issue . Something needs to change, stat!

oh man, this is so frustrating like, you'd think that having some cash would help but noooo... they just messed up and now the whole thing falls apart i mean, 2 million bucks should cover a lot of problems, especially when it comes to safety on the roads. and now those residents have to deal with more traffic and danger not cool at all... maybe someone should look into what went wrong so they can fix it next time

I feel so bad for the people of Middleton . Losing out on that $2 million grant is huge, especially when it's for something as important as safety at an intersection that sees a ton of traffic daily. It's not like they were asking for a handout or anything - just some help with zoning regulations to make sure their community development program can move forward smoothly .

I get why state officials might be trying to send a message, but you don't want to prioritize punishment over people's lives . I mean, 60 households worth of extra traffic is no joke, especially if it means they won't have the safety upgrades they need . Can't we just find a way to get them the help they need without being too harsh on them?