Longmeadow has landed a $5 million state infrastructure grant, the largest in town history, to overhaul the tangled network of roads known locally as the Triangle, where three shopping centers and a cluster of entrances and exits have long created what officials describe as conflict zones for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.
The money comes from the MassWorks Infrastructure Program, which awarded Longmeadow the funding after the town applied for construction support tied to roadway redesigns around Bliss Road, Bliss Court and Williams Street, according to Western Mass News. Town Manager Lyn Simmons told the outlet that the convergence of shopping center entrances in that area can create conflict zones for pedestrians, bicyclists and vehicles alike. While Simmons said accidents are rare in the rotary, she noted that near misses have occurred many times over the years.
Longmeadow received a $5 million MassWorks award for the project. The award was separate from the Community One Stop for Growth awards.
Private Redevelopment Unlocked Public Money
The private investment fit MassWorks' economic-development focus: the program funds infrastructure tied to economic development. Real estate developer The Colvest Group is converting the former Church of Christ, Scientist site at 916 Williams Street into a multi-building retail extension adjacent to The Longmeadow Shops, as the project was reported by The Reminder.
The path to the full construction grant began more than a year earlier. In late 2024, Longmeadow received its first-ever MassWorks grant, a smaller $285,000 award that paid for engineering firm Fuss & O'Neill's design work, according to reporting from BusinessWest. The town planned to prepare a future construction-grant application.
Select Board Signed Off on Roundabout Design
Select Board Signed Off on Roundabout Design In November 2025, the Select Board had not yet chosen an option, and Fuss & O'Neill was to continue design work once it did. Alternative #1 included a circular roundabout where Williams Street and Bliss Road meet, while Alternative #2 eliminated it. Western Mass News later reported that the project plans include a roundabout and reconstruction of the surrounding roads with narrower vehicle lanes and separated bike lanes.
Plans for the four-way intersection of Williams Street, Redfern Drive and Frank Smith Road include dedicated left-turn lanes with turn arrows in all four directions, plus pedestrian ramps and call buttons meeting MassDOT standards, The Reminder's coverage of the design process noted. The project also calls for replacing the signal light at that four-way intersection and updating the area's aging stormwater collection system. Simmons said the project gives the town a chance to address aging infrastructure while making safety improvements, and added that cyclists currently navigate frequently in travel lanes because there is nowhere else for them to go.
No Land Takings, But Some Trees Will Come Down
Residents who live along the corridor won't lose property to the project. Design plans from Fuss & O'Neill do not require the town to take private land through eminent domain or reduce residential lot frontages, though some roadside trees will be removed, the Reminder reported. The planned changes, including bike lanes elevated to sidewalk height and new multi-use pedestrian paths, align with goals the town already adopted under its Complete Streets policy and its municipal Long-Range Plan.
Drivers in the area have pushed for improvements to the intersection of Williams Street, Redfern Drive and Frank Smith Road specifically, according to Western Mass News. Longmeadow now plans to apply for additional funding to cover the water replacement portion of the project, and the town estimates the overall work will take two to three years to complete.
