State Transportation Grant Headed Stafford's Way For Path Project

STAFFORD, CT — Gov. Ned Lamont and Connecticut Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto today announced that the Connecticut Department of Transportation is awarding more than $9 million in state grants for transportation infrastructure and safety upgrades in 10 rural communities throughout Connecticut, including Stafford.

The grants are being released through the Transportation Rural Improvement Program (TRIP), a newly created state grant program designed to support rural municipalities, which are often ineligible for many federal transportation programs.

Stafford is set to receive $833,844 for a multi-use path construction project on Levinthal Run near the town's education complex and library.

"Right now, we are in an era in which we are making some of the largest investments in transportation infrastructure improvements in our lifetime, and we want to make sure Connecticut’s rural communities are also supported," Lamont said. “Small towns across Connecticut support families and play a vital role in growing the agriculture, tourism, and manufacturing sectors. We're providing state grants to help ensure these smaller communities remain safe and connected for future generations.”

Levinthal Run is a road roughly a mile long that provides access to Stafford High School, Stafford Elementary School, Stafford Middle School, the Stafford Public Library, the Stafford Board of Education Offices, and various sports fields and space.

Town officials want to install a walkway along Levinthal Run to provide residents "a path to travel and exercise off the existing roadway. " Stations could be located along the path that include sitting areas, exercise stations and "other structures," officials said.

Some town funding will be involved in addition to the state grant, officials said.

"I am proud of the work our team at CTDOT has made in coordination with local leaders to review submissions and select projects that will improve safety and mobility," Eucalitto said. "These investments will go a long way toward improving safety and building a stronger transportation network throughout rural Connecticut."

The 10 selected projects include:

• Cornwall: Sidewalk construction on the West Cornwall Bridge ($868,000)
• Coventry: Pedestrian safety improvements ($498,000)
• Haddam: Haddam Center sidewalks ($782,916)
• Hampton: Airline Trail resurfacing ($822,250)
• Hebron: Jones Street improvements ($985,200)
• Preston: Mathewson Mill Road rehabilitation ($1,007,874)
• Salisbury: Main Street sidewalk construction ($1,145,525)
• Sharon: Sidewalk rehab Route 41 and 361 ($1,100,000)
• Stafford: Levinthal Run multi-use path construction project ($883,844)
• Voluntown: Voluntown Village sidewalk extension ($950,511)

The TRIP program is a new competitive grant program supported by state bond funds through the expanded CTDOT Capital Program, Lamont said. In 2023, towns with 50 percent of the population living in rural areas were eligible to apply in coordination with their respective councils of government.

Municipalities are required to cover design costs, hence town funds being involved. The DOT will cover 100 percent of construction costs, officials said.