Committee backs ‘Streetscape’ funding
Lawmakers must authorize borrowing to tap federal money for Midtown project
City lawmakers are considering borrowing $432,000, much of which would be reimbursed, to take advantage of federal funding that will help offset the cost of Kingston’s Broadway Streetscape project.
Brenna Robinson, director of the city’s Economic and Community Development Office, told the Common Council’s Finance and Audit Committee on Tuesday that Kingston would receive $360,000 in new federal funding through the office of U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. She said the city would be required to put up $72,000 of its own money to match the federal funding, which would be used to help with design and construction of the Streetscape project.
Robinson asked the committee to endorse giving the city access to $52,000
of the funding immediately to begin a right-of-way phase for the Streetscape project that is required by the state Department of Transportation. She also asked the lawmakers to support having the city borrow $432,000, of which $360,000 would be reimbursed by the new federal money.
The committee ultimately adopted two resolutions complying with Robinson’s requests. Those resolutions will go to the full Common Council for a vote next month.
Robinson said the rightof-way phase required by the Department of Transportation involves parts of Broadway that are privately owned.
“They’re just little corners
of sidewalk,” Robinson said. She said department was not comfortable with the city just taking those sections of Broadway out of the project so instead is requiring Kingston to either acquire the properties in question or negotiate easements for their use.
“Right now, we need to move on the right-of-way phase so that we don’t hold up construction, because if we miss the construction window, it will go into the next year,” she said in calling for the initial $52,000 to be authorized. “And we don’t want to do that.”
The Broadway Streetscape project is designed to improve the infrastructure of the Midtown corridor between St. James and Grand streets. Under the Streetscape design, Broadway would be reduced from four lanes of vehicle travel to two in the
project area, with a third lane strictly for vehicles that are turning.
The city says the project will reduce travel time and vehicle stoppages on Broadway and will include new sidewalks that comply with accessibility requirements in the Americans With Disabilities Act. It also is expected to include on-street amenities such as benches, recycling containers and bus stops, as well as a dedicated two-way bicycle lane and bike racks.
The project also is to include landscape improvements to reduce stormwater runoff, as well as new ornamental LED lighting.
On-street parking in the project area would be reduced by 25 spaces to make way for crosswalks, bus stops, loading zones and bike lane visibility.
The total project is estimated to cost $5.7 million.