SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Funding has been approved for pedestrian improvements on a portion of Allen Street in Springfield.

Residents have been expressing concerns for years over the area where Allen Street meets Allen Park Road in Springfield. They say it’s been dangerous to cross over Allen Street to get to the bus stop or to cross the street to get to a nearby church.

22News contacted Springfield City Engineer Andrew Krar who said the city earlier this year $52,000 in grant funding had been approved from MassDOT that they intend to use for this crosswalk implementation.

A Shared Street and Spaces Program provided a grant in the amount of $52,000 to improve the location, according to Krar. The proposal includes new sidewalk ramps, a painted crosswalk, pedestrian-actuated flashing beacons, and a new bus shelter on Allen Street near Allen Park Road.

“We’re glad that there are the people who were concerned with the issues and I encourage them to always give me a call, and that’s exactly what they did. So we found this to be a perfect fit for the grant,” said Krar.

Krar told 22News the work is expected to begin in the spring, or summer of next year, Below is the preliminary plan showing the proposed new features.

“Our Shared Streets and Spaces grant program is just one of the many municipal grant programs that has demonstrated what we can accomplish by working together with our partners at the local level,” said Governor Charlie Baker.