Three local towns were among the Vermont towns to receive Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) Downtown Transportation Fund (DTF) grants to support Designated Downtowns and eligible Designated Village Centers.
Warren, Waitsfield and Waterbury were among the 15 Vermont municipalities to receive the grants. Since 1999, the Department of Housing and Community Development has been supporting investment in public infrastructure through the DTF. The program has helped update streetscaping, parking, rail, and bus facilities, bicycle and pedestrian safety, utilities, street lighting, and wayfinding signage.
In 2021 the program received a one-time $5M increase and opened eligibility to qualified Designated Village Centers. Since its inception in 1999, the program has invested over $13 million to support 151 projects in 32 different communities leveraging over $54 million in additional funding.
The town of Waitsfield and Waitsfield Elementary School received a $19,040 grant for crosswalk safety upgrades. The grant will support the installation of rapid flashing beacons at a school crossing on Route 100 in the village. This is the first phase of a larger project to improve pedestrian safety at crosswalks along Route 100.
Warren received a $114,312 grant for a village traffic calming project. The grant will provide funds to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists with changes to slow vehicular traffic in a busy area in the village center. The project will narrow roads with medians and landscaping features, making bridge and crosswalk improvements, and improving road striping and lighting.
Waterbury received a $200,000 grant for downtown sidewalk upgrades. That grant will provide funds to upgrade deteriorated and narrow sidewalks on streets adjacent to Main Street, making them wider and accessible to all, while improving the overall safety for pedestrians. Additional enhancements include new lighting, flower baskets, and trash receptacles.
