Vermont Business Magazine Today, USDA Rural Development announced a $119,637 disaster relief grant awarded to the city of Newport, Vermont to make streetscaping improvements. The initiative will make the downtown area safer and more attractive for pedestrians, bikers and motorists, and create easier navigation to surrounding recreational opportunities. Funds were provided through the Community Facilities Disaster Relief Grant program, as the area was affected by flooding in 2018.
Acting State Director for USDA Rural Development in Vermont, Cheryl Ducharme, was pleased to make the announcement. “Newport offers legitimate four-season opportunities for outdoor recreation, shopping and dining,” she said. “It is a growing hub of economic development in the Northeast Kingdom, and this funding will improve safety while adding life, light, color and texture to the downtown area. Strengthening and stabilizing crucial communities like Newport—a border city popular among New Englanders as well as our friends from Quebec—reflects the Biden-Harris Administration’s promise to build back better in rural America.”
“This project is critically important to the City of Newport's transformation into a destination attraction,” said Newport City Manager Laura Dolgin. “We are thrilled to receive this type of recognition from the USDA, and we are equally thrilled to have the opportunity to advance one of the many projects highlighted in the Waterfront and Downtown Master Plan.” The project will include upgrading and rehabilitating roadways along Main Street, focusing on improved visibility, ADA accessibility, and pedestrian and motorist safety. Intersection alignment, traffic signals, lighting and signage are projected points of improvement, with results expected to impact consumer activity and increase the length of visitor stays.
In 2000, the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont was federally recognized under the Rural Economic Area Partnership program (REAP Zone), established to address critical issues related to constraints in economic activity and growth. Among recent investments through various programs, USDA Rural Development awarded a $250,000 grant to the Northern Community Investment Corporation in 2018, funding that impacted Newport significantly.
Under the Biden-Harris Administration, Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports housing, infrastructure improvements, business development, high-speed internet access, and community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov. If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.
Source: MONTPELIER, June 15, 2021 – USDA