Route One Sidewalk Project- Final Stage Update
In the summer of 2019, at the end of his second term in office then First Selectman Rob Simmons shared with the reporters that officials in the Town had been requesting funds to install sidewalks along Route One, from Spellman Drive to Mayflower, for over a decade.
In 2016 Jason Vincent, Stonington's previous Director of Planning, worked in partnership with Rob to apply for the Main Street Investment Fund grant through the Department of Housing. At first, it appeared that Stonington would receive its $500,00 funding request, but that funding was later lost when the Connecticut General Assembly reduced bonding for the Main Street Investment Fund from $8 million to $2 million, forcing several approved projects including Stonington’s to be cut.
In the Spring of 2019 a new grant application was put forward through the Transportation Alternatives Program for $727,000 through the Council of Governments. All projects submitted were ranked and Stonington was selected to be the fourth project in line to get funding when, or if, it should become available.
Rob and Jason did not give up. They continued to work with our State delegation at the time. Both Senator Somers and Representative Rotella submitted bi-partisan bills in January 2019 through both the House and Senate to try and secure State bonding funds for the installation of sidewalks along Route One in Pawcatuck.
In July of 2020, the Office of Policy and Management and Department of Economic and Community Development at the State of Connecticut granted the Town of Stonington $600,000.
From that day in July of 2020, to this July of 2023, this project has been able to move forward thanks to the work of so many people. We are grateful for the talents of our Town Engineer, Chris Greenlaw, our former Town Planner Keith Brynes, and our Finance Director, James Sullivan for their hard work.
The team at BL Engineers, in particular Steve Frasier and Dominick Celtruda, contributed much time, effort and dedication to engineer this complicated set of plans and to work tirelessly with many of the property owners to be sure that the final product of these efforts enhances their properties.
This project has been reviewed four separate times by the State Department of Transportation and then finally for the last review by the Department of Economic and Community Development. We are grateful for their perseverance in helping us move this project from design to construction. We are also grateful to Olmsted Contracting, who bid on the project and has been in constant communication with us since the day of the award.
This effort would not be possible without the contribution of over 20 residents granting, in perpetuity, a piece of their own property to be designated and shared for the common good of keeping everyone in our town who uses our sidewalks safe.
The purpose of the common good is talked about as the premise and foundation in town and city planning. We are grateful to each of the people who contributed a piece of their private rights to this effort for the common good.
A tremendous amount of gratitude is due to Susan Cullen, Stonington's Director of Economic and Community Development. She lead this project for three years, putting forward a dedicated effort and always kept it positive.
And of course, thank you to our residents for supporting this project through your tax dollars. With support from the First Selectman and Board of Finance, the Town has contributed over $700,000 to this effort. This local-state funding partnership made this project possible, and we look forward to celebrating this community project once the sidewalks are completed this Fall.
