The funds will go towards two major projects: $938,000 for the Main Street/Green Street/Forbush Mill Road intersection reconstruction and $400,000 for the Forbush Mill Road culvert work.

The funds from state and federal coffers include some from the American Recovery Plan Act plus the state highway department.

But they will all impact locally.

“It shows the power of partnership between federal, state and local,” State Rep. Kate Hogan said. “Together, we funded essential projects: $1.3 million for the community” that will help the town into the future.

Beside practical aspects – preventing the culvert and road from washing out and improving safety at the intersection - “it protects the rural character.”

She noted the work done by Rebecca Longvall, the town’s conservation agent and other officials from town to state and federal.

“This is transformative,” Hogan said.

U. S. Rep. Lori Trahan noted part of the funding came from $1.9 trillion allocated by Congress for ARPA.

Locally, the funds are “significant for a town of 5.600 people.”

Looking at more projects, Trahan said “more funds are on the way. Millions more in funding are on the way.”

Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Mike Kennealy said “one of the best aspects of this role is getting out into the communities,” though he might have been thinking not all of the public events are in sub-freezing weather.

He noted highway project efforts have been combined, with 13 programs under the new Commonwealth One, streamlining the process.

Kennealy said the projects are an example of “what is special and unique about Massachusetts. People coming together to solve problems.”

Town Administrator Don Lowe pointed across the common and told Keannley the project there was completed with a $1 million grant, upgrading the intersection of Main Street and Wattaquadock Hill Road. He said the project was completed on budget and on time.

Turning to the work that will start when temperatures rise, Lowe said that “$1.3 million to a community such as ours is significant. It’s the largest grant received at one time and there will be more to come.”

The intersection at Main Street and Forbush Mill Road and Green Street is at Nashoba Regional High School and Superintendent Kirk Downing noted the improvements would make it safer for students as well.

Select Board Chairman Bob Czekanski said the projects would be “transformative to the town as a whole,” keeping his remarks short to move the program along, with officials then gathering for more photos.

The intersection will realign the roads using a roundabout to make safety improvements and allow traffic to move smoothly, an benefit attributed to roundabouts and rotaries installed in numerous roads in the region.