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April 2023 Newsletter

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PROJECT UPDATES

Metro-North Railroad New Canaan Branch Noise Abatement Feasibility Study

WestCOG Staff along with SRF Consulting Group, the Federal Railroad Administration, representatives from CTDOT Office of Rail, and representatives from Metro North Railroad during their on-site visit.

In mid-March WestCOG’s consultant (SRF Consulting Group) led a Diagnostic Meeting to review information and conduct site visits for each of the eleven at-grade crossings along the Metro-North Railroad’s New Canaan Branch. The purpose of this Diagnostic Meeting was to establish a baseline of knowledge and to evaluate field conditions. This will inform potential railroad and roadway projects that could be taken to improve safety and potentially reduce noise. WestCOG staff, along with CTDOT, FRA and Metro-North Railroad personnel, joined in the meeting which took place in Stamford, Darien, and New Canaan. SRF is evaluating comments being provided by the participating agencies and will be formulating improvement concepts for future consideration by the municipalities.

Metropolitan Transportation Plan

The public comment period ended on March 9th for the 2023-2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan and Air Quality Conformity Determination Report. Thank you to all who provided feedback during the development of the Plan. Both documents were successfully endorsed by the HVMPO and SWRMPO at the monthly meeting on March 16.

WestCOG Data Campaign

Each Spring WestCOG launches a Data Campaign to collect the latest in planning data from its member municipalities in one shot. We will be reaching out to town departments requesting information over the next few weeks. Collected datasets are then processed and standardized for the extent of the region and made publicly available (with exceptions to sensitive datasets) in WestCOG’s Map Viewer and DataHub.

If you have any questions or would like more information, contact WestCOG Senior Data Scientist Nick Trabka at: ntrabka@westcog.org or 475-323-2061

State Broadband Funding Round Tables

In lieu of WestCOG’s municipal Broadband Plans for Ridgefield, New Fairfield, and Brookfield; Big State Broadband funding efforts are gearing up, impacts could be meaningful for CT communities ($140 Million in pot). Round table topics will include:

• What technologies are best suited for Connecticut?

• What affordable service plans and other digital inclusion measures are currently in place?

• How geography impacts infrastructure deployment, especially in unserved and underserved areas?

• What workforce planning initiatives are currently taking place across the industry?

• What are the regulatory barriers (such as permitting and pole attachment issues) complicating broadband implementation?

DEEP currently has three meetings lined up if you wish to attend:

1. 04/04/2023 2:00 PM Connecticut Telecommunications and Broadband Service Provider Round Table. Registration.

2. 04/11/2023 2:00 PM State and Local Government Roundtable on High-Speed Internet Programs. Registration.

3. 04/25/2023 2:00 PM Community Roundtable on High-Speed Internet Programs. Registration.

In the News

Visit CT: Family Day Trips. Romantic Getaways. Upcoming Events, Adventures, Restaurants and more!

Visit Connecticut’s Official Tourism websit to see the latest happenings and available adventures.

Congratulations to the Community Investment Fund 2030 grant recipients in WestCOG

• Norwalk Redevelopment Agency Oak Grove Apartments and Learning Center Norwalk $ 1,800,000

• Danbury Hackerspace - Innovation Studios Danbury $510,761

• Norwalk Redevelopment Agency Redevelopment of 55 MLK, Jr. Drive Norwalk $ 8,000,000

• Pacific House 41 - 45 Stillwater Avenue Stamford $ 2,450,000

• City of Stamford, West Side Pedestrian Safety and Connectivity Stamford - $ 1,092,200

Funding Updates

The latest list of grants on WestCOG’s radar. This list is not exhaustive or authoritative. Please visit grantor’s sites and announcements for official grant details.

The Long Island Sound Futures Fund Grant for 2023’s request for proposals is now open.

Two Key areas which may be of interest are Green infrastructure (GI)/Low and Impact Development (LID) such as:

• Projects that filter and infiltrate stormwater pollution on a larger-scale such as at the level of a neighborhood, waterfront or downtown and/or those that are part of Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4).

  
  

• Projects on a smaller-scale and closer to the source of that pollution such as rain gardens, bioswales, pervious surfaces etc.

PROPOSAL DEADLINE: Wednesday, May 10th 2023

$10 million for environmental grants in the Long Island Sound watershed (CT, MA NH, NY, VT). Grant range $50k-$1.5m.

Types of Funding:

· $50k-$1.5m for “shovel-ready” projects

· $50k-$500k for planning

Want Project Idea Feedback?

Reach out to: Lisff23@nfwf.org

NY and CT Coastal: Reach out to a Long Island sound Study professional by visiting their website by clicking on the button below.

MA, NH, VT & non-coastal CT: Reach out to courtney@throweenvironmental.com

Register for one of 12 Workshops or Webinars. Check out the RFP for the list by clicking on the button below.

CTDOT Community Connectivity Grant Program

CTDOT has announced a solicitation for projects through the Community Connectivity Grant Program. The goal of the Community Connectivity Program is to make conditions safer and more accommodating for pedestrians and bicyclists, thereby encouraging more people to use these healthy and environmentally sustainable modes of travel. Making these improvements will make Connecticut’s community centers more attractive places to live and work. Projects funded through the CCGP will allow municipalities to perform small to medium scale capital improvements to address safety and accessibility primarily for active transportation users. Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis and will range between $100,000 and $800,000.

Guidelines for the program and an electronic application can be found on the Department’s website which is accessible below. The Guidelines and Application provide an overview of the CCGP and all necessary details to complete an application for grant funding.

Applications will be accepted until 4:00 pm on Friday July, 21 2023. General questions regarding this program can be directed to CTDOT.CCPG@ct.gov

National EV Charging

Grant Program Now Open

The Federal Joint Office of Energy and Transportation has released the

Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Discretionary Grant Program

for FY 2022-2023.

The CFI Grant Program was created from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), allocating $7.5 billion nationwide to support EV charging infrastructure in the United States. The program aims to deploy publicly accessible electric vehicle (EV) charging and alternative fueling infrastructure. A priority of the CFI Program is to bring EV charging to urban and rural communities, downtown areas and local neighborhoods, particularly communities that are historically underserved and disadvantaged, and to designated alternative fuel corridors. The program supports the goals of having 500,000 EV charging stations and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent nationwide by 2030.

The Community Program provides $1.25 billion nationwide to strategically deploy publicly accessible EV charging and other alternative fueling infrastructure located on any public road or in other publicly accessible locations, such as parking facilities at public buildings, public schools and public parks, or in publicly accessible parking facilities.

The Corridor Program provides $1.25 billion nationwide to deploy EV and other alternative fueling infrastructure along Alternative Fuel Corridors. These are generally Interstate and other major highways designated by the State in EV Charging Plans approved by the Federal Highway Administration.

The program provides 80 percent of the cost of eligible expenses, which include construction, right-of-way acquisition, planning, feasibility analyses, environmental review, preliminary engineering and design, and community engagement. There are a number of technical and administrative requirements for applicants.

Applications under this program are due by May 30th, 2023. The program allows several municipalities and other eligible organizations to submit a combined application.

The Notice of funding and the program website can be viewed by clicking on the buttons below.

Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant Program is back!

The Fiscal Year 2023 (FY2023) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is open for applications. This is a new program by FHWA that seeks to reduce fatalities and serious injuries on roadways. The deadline for applications is 5pm on July 10, 2023

CT Communities Challenge Grant Program- Third Round

Upcoming Meetings

TAG Meeting: 04/11/2023 at 11:00 AM |

Zoom: Zoom Link

Meeting ID: 895 3109 3509

WCEDD: 04/13/2023 AT 1:00

Launch Meeting - Zoom

COG Meeting: 04/27 at 12:00 PM | Ridgefield Town Hall Annex, 66 Prospect St.