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Final VDOT Enhancement Grant Awards Announced
In June, the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) released its list of final grant awards from the most recent round of VDOT Enhancement grant applications. Applications for this round were due Nov. 1, 2007.
Statewide, a total of 159 applications totaling $56,685,562 in funding was received. Of those, three were deemed to be ineligible and not considered for funding. The CTB made 102 grant awards statewide, totaling $22,279,130 in funding.
Among applications prepared by Commonwealth Regional Council (CRC) staff, the Victoria Downtown Streetscape Improvements project (an existing project) was awarded $383,000 in funding. The CRC would like to congratulate the Town of Victoria on its successful grant application.
Lunenburg Receives SRTS Planning Grant
The CRC would like to congratulate Lunenburg County, which received notice in late April that they were awarded a $25,000 Safe Routes to School (SRTS) planning grant from VDOT.
After discussions with the Lunenburg County Administrator's Office and the County School Board Office, the CRC was asked last year to prepare a grant application on the County's behalf. This program is 100% federal funding, with no match required.
The grant will be used to develop a Safe Routes To School plan for the County's two elementary schools and one middle school, to encourage students to walk and bike to/from school. The emphasis of the SRTS program is to encourage more students to walk and bike, thereby fostering healthy habits. When completed, an SRTS plan could be used as a basis for future applications for the construction of sidewalks and other pedestrian improvements near the targeted schools.
Kenbridge Receives Funding for Wastewater System Improvements
Additionally, the CRC would like to congratulate the Town of Kenbridge, which was awarded funding under the Department of Housing and Community Development's (DHCD) Southern Rivers Watershed Enhancement Program (SRWEP), as well as the Tobacco Commission, for wastewater system improvements.
The SRWEP provides funding to localities in Southside Virginia (not located within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed) to undertake improvements to their wastewater treatment facilities. The Tobacco Commission funds were in addition to funds previously allocated for an upgrade to its wastewater treatment system. The Town of Kenbridge needed additional funds to complete the expansion.
CRC staff, acting upon a request from the Town, submitted an application for SWREP funding in January 2008 and an application to the Tobacco Commission in November 2007. Kenbridge received notice in January that it was awarded $887,965 by the Tobacco Commission, and then learned in late May that it was awarded $784,405 in SRWEP funds. These grants will allow the Town to complete the needed upgrades to its wastewater treatment plant.
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