Three Designated Downtowns Receive State Transportation Grants

Montpelier, Vt. -Today, the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) announced $ 261,621 in grant funding to improve safety, access and transportation in three Vermont downtowns. DHCD made the investments through the Downtown Transportation Fund (DTF). Projects focus on pedestrian, bicycle, and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) access and safety improvements.

"These grant awards underscore our focus on making Vermont downtowns welcoming, accessible and safe," said DHCD Commissioner Alex Farrell. "Vermonters and visitors alike will be able to explore our historic downtown areas with an improved sense of well-being and community connection."

City of Burlington - $31,753
Church Street Marketplace Intersection Bollards Project
Burlington's busiest retail, dining, and entertainment area will receive AirTags and replacement bollards (short, vertical posts at each cross street) to improve safety and better define pedestrian and vehicle lanes within the high-traffic area.

City of Vergennes - $104,868
All Access Project at the Vergennes City Hall/Opera House
Constructed in 1897, this brick-and-marble building will benefit from the transformation of an alleyway into a verdant courtyard, creating easier "at grade" access and a significant aesthetic upgrade. Project features include engraved brick pavers, curbing, plantings, lighting, and railings.

Town of Morristown - $125,000
Morristown Residential Sidewalk Connectivity Project
700 feet of new sidewalk will fill the missing segments that limit pedestrian access to Morristown's designated downtown from surrounding neighborhoods. 250 nearby households will benefit from the project.

Since its inception in 1999, the Downtown Transportation Fund has invested more than $18 million in Vermont's downtowns and villages . For more information and local contact information for each project, please visit the program webpage .