Wallingford Receives $175,000 State Grant

WALLINGFORD, CT — Governor Dannel P. Malloy announced Wednesday that 11 projects in towns and cities across Connecticut, including Wallingford, will receive $15 million in funding under a competitive grant program that supports transit-oriented development and responsible growth in the state and is targeted at boosting economic activity and creating jobs. Wallingford will receive $175,000 for a downtown transit-oriented development facilitation project (read details below).

The grants come under the state’s Responsible Growth and Transit-Oriented Development Grant Program, which is administered by the Office of Policy and Management (OPM) and relies on a combination of funding from the Responsible Growth Incentive Fund and the Transit-Oriented Development and Pre-development Fund.

“Transportation isn’t just about cars, trains and buses – it’s about building vibrant communities and continuing to make Connecticut a more attractive place to live, visit, and do business,” Malloy said in a news release. “Today’s grant awards will build upon the smart, targeted investments we have made in recent years, which have already lead to significant growth in transit-oriented development across the state.”

Earlier this year, OPM released a Request for Applications for the grant program, and the State Bond Commission approved a total of $15 million to be used – comprised of $5 million from the Responsible Growth Incentive Fund and $10 million from the Transit-Oriented Development and Pre-development Fund. Following that, OPM – with input from other state agencies – reviewed, rated, and ranked each of the proposals.

• Wallingford – Downtown Transit-Oriented Development Facilitation Project: $175,000 to fund the planning and engineering design for pedestrian improvements along North Colony Street and Hall Avenue, including sidewalk, streetscape, and traffic-related changes. The project will evaluate various options and costs for improving pedestrian connectivity between the downtown and the new train station, including the development of conceptual engineering designs, cost estimates, and a final report summarizing preferred alternatives. This study will build on the recommendations of the town’s recently updated Plan of Conservation and Development and recently completed Transit-Oriented Development Plan.

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