The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
2 towns getting $1.1M in DOT funds
The state is awarding $5 million in funding to 10 municipalities under a competitive grant program administered by the Department of Transportation for projects that support improved mobility and accessibility, as well as pedestrian and bicycle safety, according to a press release from Gov. Ned Lamont.
Portland and Old Saybrook will be getting a total of $1.1 million to support sidewalks projects, the release said.
The Community Connectivity Grant Program provides construction funding for local initiatives that will improve safety and accessibility for bicyclists and pedestrians in and around community centers, encouraging more people to use these healthy and environmentally sustainable modes of travel, the news release said.
The grant program also facilitates social and economic opportunities for underserved communities by providing equitable levels of access to safe and affordable transportation, it continued.
The Old Saybrook delegation of legislators, including state Sens. Norm Needleman, D-Essex, and Paul Formica, R-East Lyme, and state Rep. Devin Carney, R-Old Lyme, cheered the announcement, according to a press release. This project represents a significant investment in pedestrian access and local transportation, improving mobility, accessibility and safety for those traveling around town, it said.
“Runners, bikers and outdoor enthusiasts will have new terrain to cover safely, while those living nearby will have better connections to the rest of town,” Needleman said in a prepared statement. “Overall, the entire town will have new, safer mobility and expanded outdoor recreation options for all to enjoy.”
Funding for the program was approved by the State Bond Commission July 21, 2020. The following month, the DOT opened a grant application process for municipalities.
Old Saybrook is expecting $596,413 for the Elm Street and Boston Post Road sidewalks project, and Portland will get $525,775 to fill in the gaps to Route 17/66; as well as pay for safe sidewalks to schools, businesses and transit routes, the release said.
Municipalities that have been selected to receive grants will be expected to complete the project within three years.
For information, visit ctconnectivity.com.