In Sanford, Governor Mills Highlights Infrastructure Investments in Maine’s Rural Communities

Sanford, MAINE – Throughout a go to to Sanford in the present day, Governor Janet Mills highlighted a brand new $34 million partnership between the Metropolis of Sanford and the Maine Division of Transportation (MaineDOT) that may revitalize the town’s downtown.

The Downtown Sanford Village Partnership Initiative will rehabilitate key infrastructure and improve roads, sidewalks, and streetlights in Sanford’s industrial heart. The funding will assist to make downtown Sanford safer and extra enticing for industrial and residential improvement, enhance parking, and assemble a much-needed Park & Journey facility for tons of of residents that commute every day to work on the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery.

The partnership is supported by federal funds together with a $25 million Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Fairness (RAISE) Grant made accessible by the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Regulation and roughly $7.1 million in matching funds from the MaineDOT and the Metropolis of Sanford.

“Sanford has an extended and proud historical past and a vibrant future, particularly with investments like these,” mentioned Governor Janet Mills. “The Downtown Sanford Village Partnership will appeal to the financial and housing improvement the town must thrive. My Administration will proceed to work with municipalities to revitalize our rural downtowns.”

 “This infrastructure funding in our downtown has been on the horizon for a very long time. We welcome the chance to share our imaginative and prescient with Governor Mills and admire the Maine DOT partnership that made it a actuality,” mentioned Sanford Mayor Anne-Marie Mastraccio.

“We’re happy that MaineDOT’s work with the Metropolis of Sanford helped us safe new discretionary grant funding that may profit the individuals who reside, work, and journey right here,” mentioned MaineDOT Commissioner Bruce Van Be aware. “This can be a nice instance of how collaboration and partnerships can result in initiatives that may compete for and win grant funding to make once-in-a-generation investments in Maine communities.”

Sanford is one in every of a number of former Maine mill communities that has suffered from many years of disinvestment. Metropolis leaders have made important progress in recent times to enhance Sanford’s infrastructure, however challenges stay. Outdated roads and sidewalks make pedestrian journey unsafe and contribute to site visitors challenges. Lack of parking and insufficient streetlighting pose a problem to these seeking to open or conduct enterprise within the downtown industrial district.

Funding invested by the Downtown Sanford Village Partnership Initiative will allow the town to replace streets, curbs, and sidewalks, make crosswalks extra accessible, and assemble parking areas that may accommodate electrical automobiles. The undertaking will modernize utility ducts and enhance drainage with trendy stormwater filtration.

The undertaking may even assemble a brand new 80-spot Park & Journey facility between Most important Road and Shawmut Avenue geared towards serving to to enhance carpool choices for employees on the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in addition to different space employers. As of 2020, 524 Sanford and Springvale residents commuted to the Shipyard in Kittery. With restricted parking choices, Shipyard officers have particularly requested the event of the power.

No different governor in Maine historical past has invested as a lot State funding within the Maine Division of Transportation as Governor Mills. Whereas the MaineDOT’s operations are largely funded by means of the Freeway Fund, Governor Mills signed a biennial finances that devoted a further $50 million in Common Fund cash – an unprecedented quantity – to the Division for capital initiatives and stipulated that MaineDOT obtain 20 % of any unappropriated surplus on the finish of the 12 months. That is along with the estimated $2.4 billion in federal funding, together with $1.6 billion for transportation enhancements, Maine is predicted to obtain below the Bipartisan Infrastructure Funding and Jobs Act.