5/24/05

Town Awarded $24,500 Grant to Develop Plan to Improve Pedestrian Passageways

The Town of Holly Springs recently was awarded a $24,500 grant from the state Board of Transportation to develop plans for improving pedestrian passageways throughout Town. Of 36 municipalities to apply for funding, Holly Springs was one of 18 applicants to receive a piece of the nearly $400,000 in funding statewide.

“The Town of Holly Springs continues to place more emphasis on providing facilities for pedestrian access, ” said Kendra Stephenson, senior engineer with the Town Engineering Department. “A desire and demand for a more walkable community and a focus on smart growth initiatives have combined to highlight the need for better, more complete pedestrian transportation systems. This grant will go a long way toward meeting that need.”

Last year, the Town Council adopted a Sidewalk Capital Improvement Plan to begin prioritizing and planning pedestrian projects. The Board of Transportation grant money will serve to develop an even more detailed plan. The development of the plan will be steered by a group of local and regional transportation planning staff, advocates and representatives from stakeholder groups, Stephenson said. The Town is to provide $10,500 in matching funds toward the project, which will be complete by December, 2006.

“One advantage to being awarded this grant is that completion of the plan will increase eligibility of the Town for even more grant funds for sidewalk and bicycle planning,” said Stephanie Sudano, director of Engineering.

Within the past year, the Town has secured a total of $500,000 in other state and federal grant funds for actual sidewalk projects.

Town of Holly Springs - PO Box 8 - 128 South Main Street - Holly Springs, NC 27540 - (919) 552-6221 - Holly.Springs@hollyspringsnc.us