SPARTA NEWS


City receives $1 million grant for sidewalks
Date: 
04.14.2014

Mayor announces project will begin as soon as possible

 
By Kim Swindell Wood
Editor
kim@myspartanews.com
Published: Monday, April 14, 2014 7:20 AM CDT

 

Sparta residents may soon see some major renovations taking place when crews begin installing sidewalks starting at Mayberry Street and extending to Churchill Drive.

During a recent meeting of Sparta Board of Mayor and Aldermen, Mayor Jeff Young said he received official notification that City of Sparta has been selected to receive Tennessee Department of Transportation’s Multimodal Access Grant in the amount of $1 million. This is a state-funded program created to support the transportation needs of transit users, pedestrians and bicyclists through infrastructure projects that address existing gaps along state routes.
 

“This is great news for the City of Sparta,” Young said. “I am extremely excited about this. As soon as we get the contract, we’re going to go to work.”

Multimodal Access projects are state-funded at 95 percent, with a 5 percent local match.

“The intent of the grant program was to create pedestrian-friendly areas,” Marty Carmichael, City of Sparta administrator, said.

Carmichael said the project would also include curbs to separate pedestrians from the traffic. Lighting for sidewalks is also being considered if enough funds are available.

“We committed to the extent that the grant funds will pay, and we hope to be able to come up with the additional money for lighting,” he said.

Carmichael said additional crosswalks might also be installed in specific areas.