Eight Connecticut towns have been tabbed to receive a share of a $10 million investment from the Transportation Rural Improvement Program.
The grants are administered by the Connecticut Department of Transportation to support rural communities who often are ineligible for federal transportation programs. The grants were announced by Governor Ned Lamont and Connecticut DOT commissioner Garrett Eucalitto late last month.
TRIP was established in 2022. The first round of fully state funded grants totaling $9 million were issued in January 2024.
“Connecticut’s rural communities are often shut out of many federal programs because of their size or density, and the state’s TRIP program fixes that problem,” Lamont said. “Our smaller towns are one of the many things that make Connecticut such a wonderful place to live, work and raise a family. More importantly, these state grants will not only strengthen transportation but help to ensure our communities remain safe and connected for future generations.”
Among the communities receiving funds are Barkhamsted, Bethlehem, Bolton, Burlington, Columbia, Goshen, Litchfield and Marlborough.
Burlington received $1,545,500 for roadway improvements on West Chippen Road. Drainage improvements and a full-depth reconstruction of the roadway are planned. In the area of the project are Session Woods Wildlife Management Area and the Tunxis Trail hiking area.
Burlington First Selectman Douglas K. Thompson said the grant money is “very much welcome.”
“The road is a conduit between our communities: Bristol, Terryville, Burlington. It’s kind of a very busy thoroughfare for our region, so I’m really pleased that the state recognizes that it’s an important route through our community and connecting others.”
Thompson credited state and federal lawmakers Derek Slap, John Piscopo, Henri Martin and Jahana Hayes for their support in the town receiving the state funds.
“It’s very good to see a bipartisan effort to support our communities,” Thompson said. “This is a welcome improvement for this heavily used road.
“Like many small communities, some of these roads are a little on the narrow side and are curvy,” Thompson added. “So, these funds will be put to very good use to improve the navigation of the road, and I think it’ll make it a little bit safer.”
Thompson said there isn’t an exact time frame for the project to break ground as it is still in the final design phase.
Litchfield received $968,000 for a full-depth reconstruction and drainage improvements on Campville Road. The road links Route 8 and Route 254. The road also accesses Route 8 from Humaston Brook State Park, Northfield Brook Lake Park and Topsmead State Forest.
Raz Alexe, the director of public works and town engineer for Litchfield, said this grant is a big deal for the town.
“This road has needed improvement throughout the years, and we had previously received for a state grant starting with the southern part of Campville Road for the first mile,” Alexe said. “That construction begins this summer. This grant will help with the next mile and a half from another intersection on Campville Road further north.”
Litchfield originally applied for the TRIP grant in 2024, Alexe said, but the town wasn’t selected. The town reapplied in February and found out last month that it would get the grant in 2025.
“The implications for the community are large and are very important,” Alexe said. “First of all, this is an old cow path that when they made it a road, Route 8 didn’t exist when it was built. So, this was an important connector that will help the community south to north along the corridor of Route 8 to go all the way to Torrington and Windsor.
“When Route 8 has an accident or is impassable, everything is routed to Campville Road,” said Alexe, who added that the road is heavily traveled and when the road was constructed, it didn’t have enough drainage.
“We are doing a full-depth reconstruction where you dig up the subsurface, check the soils and make sure it’s compacted properly and apply layers of asphalt on top,” Alexe said. “This will extend the life of the road 30 or 40 years if not more.”
Alexe said the two approved state projects when complete will take care of half of Campville Road.
Barkhamsted received a $1,077,856 grant for roadway improvements on West River Road. The 4.04-mile scenic road running along the west branch of the Farmington River will include repaving and improved infrastructure.
“The road is a vital corridor through the American Legion State Forest and passes the Austin Hawes State Campground connecting the Pleasant Valley section of town to the historic Village of Riverton,” a news release from the Connecticut Department of Transportation said.
In Bethlehem, $2 million was granted for roadway improvements, including paving, drainage and safety improvements on Flanders Road. The 1.6-mile road connects Route 6 in Woodbury and Route 61 in Bethlehem.
Bolton is reeling in $1,413,238 to replace the Lyman Road Bridge. According to the DOT, “this project includes replacing the existing twin 6-foot diameter asphalt coated corrugated metal pipe culverts with an 18-foot clear span by 6-foot rise precast concrete box culvert.”
The bridge connects neighboring towns and Gay City State Park, as well as areas offering shopping and entertainment.
DOT said a $1,479,899 grant will be used in Columbia for a project on Thompson Hill Road Bridge over Clark Brook. This road connects two major state roads, Route 6 and Route 66.
“The project includes replacing the 5-foot diameter precast concrete culvert with a three sided, 18-foot clear span concrete frame that will address frequent flooding and road damage caused by inadequate drainage. The new culvert will improve water flow, reduce the risk of flooding, and enhance the durability and safety of the roadway,” according to the DOT.
Goshen received a grant of $1.5 million for a West Hyerdale Drive bridge rehabilitation over the Marshapaug River. The road is the shortest route for emergency vehicles and the public to the town center. The work is expected to extend the life of the bridge for an estimated 75 years. The project will line four existing corrugated metal pipe culverts.
Finally, Marlborough received a $341,179 grant for a sidewalk extension of Lake Road.
“This project will construct more than 300 feet of sidewalk and a crosswalk on Lake Road, as well as provide upgrades to existing crossing technology on North Main Street,” according to the DOT.
This segment of the sidewalk “will connect the interconnection between Blish Park and the Elmer Thienes/Mary Hall Elementary School passing through the town center,” the DOT said.
“This program helps rural communities deliver important safety improvement projects that may otherwise have been shelved due to a lack of funding,” Eucalitto said. “No matter the population size, Connecticut’s municipalities deserve to have access to funding and programs that can improve safety and mobility.”