SUBJECT: Governor Announces Nearly $4 Million for Community Enhancement Projects

Montpelier, Vt. – Nearly $4 million dollars will be distributed among 40 towns and sponsoring organizations for projects that improve local transportation, expanded recreational opportunities and encourage and support economic development of Vermont’s historic downtowns and village centers, Governor Jim Douglas and Transportation Secretary Dawn Terrill announced today.

Governor Douglas said these resources, from the 2005 transportation enhancement projects fund, help to preserve historic transportation buildings and create visitor centers; construct sidewalks, bicycle pathways and bridges; and purchase scenic easements that enhance the state’s travel and tourism industry. “These funds are a significant contribution to our intermodal transportation system and help us to continue to strengthen our economy,” Governor Douglas added.

“Since 1995, these grants have been a base for funding local and regional transportation development projects,” noted Secretary Terrill. “It is a broadly based grants program representing the best of Vermont for Vermonters.”

The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA), passed by Congress in 1991, created the Transportation Enhancement Program offering communities new funding opportunities to help expand local transportation choices including safe bicycle and pedestrian facilities, scenic routes, beautification, and other investments that increase recreation opportunity and access.

In 1998, the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) reaffirmed the federal commitment to communities by increasing funding support for enhancements. Applications for enhancement funding are reviewed by the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) to affirm project eligibility criteria, then are individually considered and awarded by a grant committee.

VTrans staff also provides technical and limited project assistance to grant recipients. Most community projects are completed within two years of the grant award. Since 1995, 239 grant awards have been made to Vermont communities totaling $30.5 million.

The next round of grants will be available in April, 2005 when the Agency provides application booklets to municipalities, regional planning commissions, and non-profit organizations.

2005 grant awards are listed below. ### 2005 ENHANCEMENTS APPLICATIONS FUNDED

Town Sponsor Activity Funded GRANT SHARE TOTAL PROJECT COST St. Albans City City of St. Albans Engineering and Construction of Lower Welden Street Sidewalk & Pedestrian Bridge $103,000 $131,970 Barton Barton Village Sidewalk Feasibility Study for Barton Village $13,000 $16,440 Bennington Town of Bennington Engineering and Construction of West Main Street Sidewalks and Historic Lighting. $168,000 $212,025 Bennington Village of North Bennington Engineering and Construction of Pedestrian Improvements and Landscaping at the Main Street/Bank Street Intersection $121,000 $151,893 Colchester Colchester Historical Society Engineering and Construction of the Colchester Log Schoolhouse Bike Path Visitors Center $147,000 $183,500 Hyde Park V. Village of Hyde Park Engineering and Construction of Sidewalks in the Village of Hyde Park $87,000 $210,000 Wallingford Wallingford Fire District Construction of Wallingford Village Sidewalks $128,000 $160,000 Middlebury & Weybridge Middlebury Area Land Trust Engineering and Construction of Sidewalks and Erosion Control Demonstration Project at the Otter Creek Access Site $290,000 $595,237 Chelsea Town of Chelsea Engineering and Construction of Chelsea Connector Pedestrian Path $75,000 $96,000 Brighton Town of Brighton Engineering for Island Pond Sidewalks $90,000 $123,000 Williston Town of Williston Engineering for Route 2A Multi-Use Path (River Cove Road to Essex Junction) $130,000 $162,000 Fairlee Town of Fairlee Engineering and Construction of the Historic Fairlee Railroad Station Visitors' Center $170,000 $388,150 Multi-Town Connecticut River Transit, Inc. Installation of Bike Racks on Public Transit Buses $10,000 $15,123 Brandon Town of Brandon Engineering and Construction of Maple and Union Street Sidewalks $155,000 $193,210 Middlebury Town of Middlebury Engineering and Construction of Court Square Historic Lighting $130,000 $282,620 Rutland Town of Rutland Engineering and Rehabilitation of the Twin Covered Bridge $30,000 $77,000 Morristown Town of Morristown Engineering and Construction of Wilkins Ravine Stormwater Mitigation $75,000 $104,149 Northfield Village of Northfield Planning for Depot Square Improvements $20,000 $25,000 Londonderry Friends of the West River Trail, Inc. Engineering and Construction of the Historic South Londonderry Depot Visitors' Center $298,000 $376,561 Shelburne Town of Shelburne Planning for the Harbor Road Shared-Use Path $20,000 $25,000 Troy Town of Troy Planning for Troy Village Common Improvements $16,000 $20,000 South Burlington City of South Burlington Engineering and Construction of San Remo Drive Sidewalks and Landscaping $265,000 $438,930 Rockingham Town of Rockingham Documenting and Stabilizing the Historic Bellows Falls Canal $21,000 $27,250 Winhall Town of Winhall Planning for Bondville Village Sidewalks Design $15,000 $20,000 Vergennes City of Vergennes Engineering for Vergennes Upper Basin Pedestrian Improvements $12,000 $15,000 Bristol Bristol Friends of the Arts Engineering and Construction of Howden Hall Visitor Center $80,000 $251,305 Middlesex Middlesex Conservation Comm. Planning for Middlesex Village Bike/Ped Improvements $16,000 $20,000 Hartford Town of Hartford Engineering and Construction of Railroad Row Improvements, Phase III $50,000 $200,900 Woodstock Town of Woodstock Construction of Pedestrian Improvements and Landscaping at the Taftsville Green $50,000 $62,752 Johnson Village of Johnson Engineering and Construction of Phase 1 of the Johnson Village Main Street Project $294,000 $367,254 Thetford Town of Thetford Planning for Thetford Village Bike/Ped Improvements $25,000 $33,000 Hartland Town of Hartland Engineering for Hartland Village Bike/Ped Improvements $45,000 $75,018 Hinesburg Town of Hinesburg Engineering and Construction of Hinesburg Village Pedestrian Improvements - Phase III (near Town Hall) $79,000 $98,450 Alburg Town of Alburg Planning for Alburg Village Streetscape Improvements $16,000 $20,000 Barre City City of Barre Construction of a New Sidewalk and Restored Historic Gazebo in City Hall Park $100,000 $343,400 Burlington City of Burlington Engineering and Construction of the Battery Street Shared-Use Path $200,000 $250,000 Lyndon Town of Lyndon Engineering and Construction of the Passumpsic River Pedestrian Bridge $114,000 $145,740 Brighton Brighton Community Forum, Inc. Engineering and Construction of an Island Pond Welcome Center $150,000 $385,810 Bennington VT Housing and Conservation Board Restoration of Historic Farmhouse and Provide Visitor Information $100,000 $338,448 Statewide Vermont Bicycle & Pedestrian Coalition Bike/Ped Safety Education Programs $60,000 $140,677 $3,968,000 $6,782,812

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