Newton Finance Committee approves four grants, Bluebikes contract in unanimous votes

NEWTON -- September 8, 2025, Newton Finance Committee approves more than $650,000 in grants and a new Bluebikes contract at September 8 meeting. The committee voted unanimously on all five items, with tallies of 6-0 on four votes and 7-0 on the final item after Councilor Lipoff joined late. The largest single grant, $378,560 from the federal community connections program, will fund 67 bike racks, two bike shelters at Newton North and Newton South high schools, and 12 rectangular rapid flashing beacons. A separate MassDOT grant provides 16 additional beacons at no equipment cost to the city, bringing the combined total to 28 new units across Newton crosswalks. The committee also approved a $249,295 MassDOT Shared Streets and Spaces grant, the fifth the city has received, to add four Bluebikes stations and pilot year-round winter operations for the first time. A five-year contract with Lyft for the regional Bluebikes system, carrying options to extend to nine years total, drew brief scrutiny over its length before passing 7-0; city transportation official Jen Martin noted Newton logs roughly 13,000 rides per year within a 13-municipality network that sees 4 million total annual rides.