Bike, pedestrian grants total over $1M

Rutland Herald

By Emily Cutts
staff writer | October 02,2015

 

Five towns in Rutland County received more than $1.14 million in grants for bicycle and pedestrian projects.

Across the state, more than $4 million was awarded through the Vermont Bicycle and Pedestrian Program for design, construction and scoping projects.

“Across the country we are seeing folks choosing to walk and bike more for transportation,” said Nicholas Meltzer, assistant bicycle and pedestrian coordinator. “(Vermont Agency of Transportation) is helping communities meet that need with this grant program.”

Meltzer said the current grant program has been in existence since 2012.

In Rutland County, grants were awarded to Killington, Middletown Springs, Rutland City, Pittsford and West Rutland.

“We’re very excited. We did our homework. We worked with the Safe Routes to School program and they identified the five missing links in this study and that’s what we ended up applying for,” said Mary Ann Goulette, West Rutland town manager. “We really wanted to concentrate on getting our village 100 percent pedestrian friendly.”

The town was awarded $821,000, including a 10 percent local share, to design and construct 3,305 feet of sidewalk along Campbell, Thrall, Clarendon, Ross and Fairview streets.

Goulette said those portions of the pedestrian system are more difficult projects.

Without the grant, Goulette said the five segments would have taken the town years to accomplish. Goulette said the project will likely go out to bid in the next few months and construction would hopefully begin next year.

In Killington, the $30,000 grant, including the town’s match for a scoping study for pedestrian crossing and connectivity as well bus stop locations.

“This grant will pay for the plan for us to implement Complete Streets on Killington Road and create crosswalks, bus stops and other amenities for travelers,” said Seth Webb, Killington town manager. “It’s not only an issue of preventing accidents but also to make us a more viable tourist destination and a more livable community.”

Complete Streets is a state law that requires municipalities to consider bicycle and pedestrian improvements during road projects and to document how they make decisions during those projects.

“People should be able to walk places and not be worried about their safety,” Webb said.

The scope would look at the 2-mile section of Killington Road between West Hill Road and the Killington Resort. Webb said that portion of road connects over 40 restaurants, hotels and residences as well as schools.

“It’s the primary access for hundreds of thousands of visitors and cars every year,” he said.

Pittsford received $187,000, including a 10 percent local match, for a 2,400-foot sidewalk extension running along Arch and Pleasant streets.

Town Manager John Haverstock said the town had applied for the grant when they realized the current project funding would fall short and that they we’re pleased to get the grant.

Haverstock said they expect to build the sidewalk either spring or summer 2016.

“We think it will be a wonderful addition to bicyclists and pedestrians and will allow for better safety for kids coming and going to school,” he said.

Middletown Springs received $38,500, including the local match, for a scoping study for the Middletown Springs Path study.

Rutland City received $70,000, including the local match, in additional funding for construction of Rutland Creek Path Segment 4 from Monsignor Park to River Street.

The largest grant in the state, about $1.1 million, went to Bennington for the construction of the “Ninja Path.” The trail runs about 2 miles along the Wallmomsac River and is intended to connect Bennington’s downtown with North Bennington. Also in Bennington County, Manchester received $580,000 to enhance a portion of Depot Street, one of the busiest roads, to better accommodate pedestrians and cyclists.