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VTrans and ACCD award grants to increase transportation options and support economic development

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March 9, 2017

MONTPELIER, Vt.— As part of an ongoing partnership to revitalize community centers and increase transportation options, the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) and the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD) are pleased to announce the Better Connections (BC) Grant Program has funded 3 projects that align land use planning and community revitalization efforts with transportation investments.

Grant Winners:

  • The Town of Brighton’s grant will grow the local economy with a plan to improve the streetscape and create more opportunities for residents and tourists to walk, shop and enjoy the scenic beauty of Island Pond. (Joel Cope, Town of Brighton, joeltcope@comcast.net)
  • The City and Town of St. Albans will develop a plan to improve safety and accessibility along Route 7, strengthening the connection between the downtown and its northern commercial and employment centers, and improving transportation options for the region’s most vulnerable. (Carrie Johnson, Town of St. Albans, satownmanager@comcast.net and Chip Sawyer, City of St. Albans, C.Sawyer@stalbansvt.com)
  • The Town of Windsor will create an action plan to guide downtown commercial and industrial redevelopment, improve housing affordability in surrounding neighborhoods, and explore ideas to reconnect to the Connecticut River - making Windsor a great place to live, work and do business. (Robert Haight, Town of Windsor, robertdhaight@comcast.net

“Vermonters depend upon their transportation system to provide access to work, school, shopping and other activities. We need to collaborate with communities and coordinate public polices and investments in order to grow our economy and improve quality of life for all Vermonters,” said Transportation Secretary Joe Flynn. “This inter-agency collaboration is doing just that by supporting communities to plan and grow in a way that integrates transportation and land use planning with economic development decision making.”

“This exciting agency partnership aligns state and local transportation investments to strengthen the economy, improve our quality of life and make Vermont more affordable for families and businesses” said Housing and Community Development Commissioner Katie Buckley.

Annually, the program grants approximately $200,000 in funding to help Vermont communities plan for future transportation investments that support economic development. For more information, contact Jackie Cassino, at 802-272-2368 or Richard Amore at 822-828-5229 and visit the grant website http://vtrans.vermont.gov/planning/projects-programs/better-connections.