Residents of Connecticut’s rural communities should see needed improvements over the next few years thanks to a new grant program through the Connecticut Department of Transportation.
The Transportation Rural Improvement Program (TRIP) is a new initiative from the department. The plan is to provide $5 million per year in grants over a period of three years. Those grants can be used for “small- to medium-scale improvements, such as roadway, bridge, and pedestrian improvements.”
“CTDOT’s commitment to maintaining Connecticut’s roads is inclusive of communities in rural areas across our state,” CTDOT Commissioner Joe Giulietti said in a statement. “This investment will improve safety and increase mobility for residents from our most remote areas in Connecticut.”
TRIP is a competitive program and communities with at least 50% of their residents in rural areas can apply through their local Council of Government who will then submit their prioritized projects to DOT.
According to the DOT, “eligible projects include roadway, signal, and bridge structural and safety improvements (20 feet or greater) on a functional roadway classification of a minor rural collector road or greater. Additionally, on- and off-road bicycle facilities, sidewalks, and multi-use trails for safer pedestrian and cyclist accessibility are eligible anywhere within a rural boundary.”
