The state has approved the town’s plan for revitalizing downtown, opening the door for a study on making the town center more accessible to bikers and walkers.
The state’s approval of the Downtown Revitalization Plan, which includes a section focused on bike and pedestrian accessibility and safety, paves the way for the town to apply for grant funding, according to DeCarlo Brown, town planner and economic community director.
The Town Council agreed at its Oct. 22 meeting to seek funding to study the feasibility of bike and pedestrian pathways in the Main Street area.
An application has now been submitted to the Kittery Area Comprehensive Transportation System, and, if approved by the regional agency, would lead to a $50,000 to $75,000 grant to fund the study, said Brown.
The transportation system board of directors will vote on the grant request Nov. 2, he said.
If the grant is approved, it will be “easier to get grants for engineering and implementation of the pathways as part of the Downtown Revitalization Plan,” according to DeCarlo.
Council Chair Mallory Cook noted that the revitalization plan is already generating opportunities. “It is great,” Cook said, “that the Downtown Revitalization Plan is already proving its benefit to the community.”
