Enfield To Receive State Safety Grant For Elm Street Sidewalk

ENFIELD, CT — Enfield is among 17 towns and cities across Connecticut which will divide $8.2 million in grants from the Connecticut Department of Transportation under a state-funded competitive grant program for local projects that support improved mobility and accessibility, as well as pedestrian and bicycle safety.

Enfield has been allocated $548,400 under the program for "Elm Street sidewalk gap closure." Mayor Bob Cressotti told Patch a sidewalk will be installed on the south side of Elm Street between Asnuntuck Community College and the corner of Shaker Road and Elm.

"I am very pleased to hear this great news for the town of Enfield," Cressotti said Thursday after an announcement was made by Gov. Ned Lamont and Transportation Commissioner Joseph Giulietti.

The Community Connectivity Grant Program, now in its fourth round of awards, 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 grant program also facilitates social and economic opportunities for underserved communities by providing equitable levels of access to safe and affordable transportation.

"These road improvement projects are smart investments that will further enhance our state’s quality of life," Lamont said in a written statement. "These projects will not only make our neighborhoods safer, but will support the growth of the economy while also becoming more pedestrian-friendly and more environmentally-conscious."

"Connecticut’s commitment to improving safety and mobility for all continues to be strengthened with this new round of awards," Giulietti said. "With 2021 being a record year for fatalities on our state’s and nation’s roadways, these investments are clearly needed. Not only will these investments improve safety, but they will continue efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from our transportation sector and improve local air quality."

Funding for the program was proposed by Lamont in his FY22-FY23 biennial budget, which the legislature supported in the final enacted budget. This round of funding was approved by the State Bond Commission at its most recent meeting in December.

Projects that were submitted by municipalities during the most recent solicitation were freshly evaluated in light of this additional funding. The DOT will also use a portion of funding to support local road safety audits to assist local governments in identifying ways to improve safety in specific community locations.