Stamford Awarded $800K Community Connectivity Grant

Information via city of Stamford

STAMFORD, CT — Mayor Caroline Simmons on Thursday announced that Stamford received $800,000 in state funding for the Belltown Neighborhood Connectivity and Safety Project.

Stamford was one of 17 municipalities to receive funding from the Connecticut Department of Transportation under the Community Connectivity Grant Program.

"My administration is committed to investing in projects throughout our city that improves mobility, pedestrian safety, and aligns with our Vision Zero goals," Simmons said in a news release. "This funding will enhance connectivity to Barrett Park and implement critical pedestrian safety measures that will improve overall safety in the area. I want to thank our Transportation, Traffic, and Parking Department for their work on this important project and the Connecticut Department of Transportation for their partnership and investment in these efforts."

The Belltown Neighborhood Connectivity and Safety project is a multi-part, connectivity project that came out of the Barrett Park Master Plan and an in-depth community engagement process.

The project location is composed of three distinct areas: Barrett Park, the one-block Belltown commercial area, and the residential housing surrounding it.

Despite the significant volume of pedestrian activity, the three areas remain disconnected from each other due to the current roadway design.

This project focuses on enhancing safety on Burdick Street, Belltown Road, and Upland Road through various pedestrian safety design interventions such as:

• Bump outs
• Raised and decorative crosswalks
• Enhanced lighting
• Streetscape enhancement
• Pedestrian refuge islands
• Sidewalk gap filling

"With this funding from CTDOT, we will improve access to Barrett Park, build new sidewalks, slow traffic, and improve overall safety and mobility in the Belltown neighborhood," said Stamford Bureau Chief for the Transportation, Traffic, and Parking Department. "This project supports our Vision Zero initiative of eliminating deaths and serious injuries on Stamford’s roads."