SEN. OSTEN WELCOMES $1.8 MILLION FOR COLUMBIA, MARLBOROUGH PROJECTS

EASTERN CT – State Senator Cathy Osten (D-Sprague) today welcomed $1.82 million in state grants for local infrastructure projects in Columbia and Marlborough.

“I’m happy to see the state setting aside funds for projects in small towns like those in eastern Connecticut, which don’t always have the ability to raise taxes to pay for these improvements through their local town budgets, but which are vital to the people and the business in the region anyway,” said Sen. Osten. “Eastern Connecticut deserves its fair share of state investments, too, and these two projects are examples of that.”

Columbia will receive $1,479,899 to replace the Thompson Hill Road Bridge over Clark Brook. The project includes replacing the five-foot diameter precast concrete culvert with a three sided, 18-foot clear span concrete frame that will address frequent flooding and road damage caused by inadequate drainage. The new culvert will improve water flow, reduce the risk of flooding, and enhance the durability and safety of the roadway. Thompson Hill Road serves as a critical connector between Route 6 and Route 66, ensuring efficient transportation for residents, commuters, and businesses.

Marlborough will receive $341,179 for a sidewalk extension on Lake Road. The project will construct more than 300 feet of sidewalk and a crosswalk on Lake Road, as well as provide upgrades to existing crossing technology on North Main Street. Construction of this segment of the sidewalk completes the interconnection between Blish Park and the Elmer Thienes/Mary Hall Elementary School passing through the town center.

The grants are part of $10 million in state funding announced today by Governor Ned Lamont that is being awarded to eight rural communities in Connecticut through the Transportation Rural Improvement Program (TRIP), a state grant program administered by the Connecticut Department of Transportation that is designed to support the state’s rural communities, which are often ineligible for many federal transportation programs.

“This program helps rural communities deliver important safety improvement projects that may otherwise have been shelved due to a lack of funding,” said DOT Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto. “No matter the population size, Connecticut’s municipalities deserve to have access to funding and programs that can improve safety and mobility.”