REP. FREY: STATE APPROVES RIDGEFIELD DANBURY ROAD GRANT
April 2, 2008

RIDGEFIELD- State Representative John H. Frey, R-Ridgefield, today said he was pleased to announce that Ridgefield’s $250,000 Small Town Economic Assistance Program (STEAP) grant for phase 2 of Danbury Road improvements was approved.

Ridgefield intends to utilize its $250,000 request for the construction of streetscape improvements along Danbury Road to the intersection of Mountain View Avenue. The project includes sidewalk and electrical improvements, streetscape plantings and sidewalk safety repairs. The town has scheduled construction to begin May of 2009 with an expected completion date of November 2009.

Representative Frey said “I want to thank Governor Rell for her willingness to award state funds for phase 2 of this meaningful capital project. These continued improvements to the streetscape along Danbury Road will encourage other businesses to build or relocate there and help tie our northern business district to our historic Main Street.”

The Small Town Economic Assistance Program (STEAP) funds economic development, community conservation and quality of life projects for localities that are ineligible to receive Urban Action bonds.  This program is administered by the Office of Policy and Management.  For this fiscal year, $50 million in projects were submitted for $20 million available funds.   Rep. Frey noted that Ridgefield has received funds every year it has applied to the 4 year old program.

STEAP funds are issued by the State Bond Commission and can only be used for capital projects.  Programmatic expenditures or recurring budget expenditures are not eligible for STEAP or any other state bond program.  However, some projects while generally capital in nature should not be funded with State bond money for various public policy reasons. Examples of these are 1) salt and sand sheds; 2) town office buildings and improvements; and 3) communications systems, such as police radios.

Projects eligible for STEAP funds include:

1) economic development projects such as (a) constructing or rehabilitating commercial, industrial, or mixed-use structures and (b) constructing, reconstructing, or repairing roads access ways, and other site improvements;

2) [Urban] transit;

3) Recreation and solid waste disposal projects;

4) social service-related projects, including day care centers, elderly centers, domestic violence and emergency homeless shelters, multi purpose human resource centers, and food distribution facilities;

5) Housing projects;

6) Pilot historic preservation and redevelopment programs that leverage private funds; and

7) Other kinds of [urban] development projects involving economic and community development, transportation, environmental protection, public safety, children and families and social service programs.

Localities may receive up to $500,000 per year if (1) their population is under 30,000, (2) they are not designated as a distressed municipality or a public investment community, and (3) the State Plan of Conservation Development does not show them as having an urban center.

Last year, the Town of Ridgefield received a $250,000 grant for Phase 1 of  pedestrian and landscape improvements to Danbury Road, between Route 116 and Copps Hill Road.  Work should commerce shortly on that portion this spring.