By Laura Bailey
Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz visited Bristol’s West End neighborhood on Friday to commemorate the city’s receipt of a $6.85 million CIF grant for the Route 72 Corridor Improvement Project.
“With this improvement project, we are going to see pedestrian safety, traffic calming, streetscape improvements that’s going to help make this a gateway to downtown Bristol on Riverside Avenue and Park Street,” said Bysiewicz. “This beautification is going to improve sidewalks, lighting, trees, signage and curbing that is really going to help make downtown Bristol more vibrant.”
The Route 72 Corridor Improvement Project will focus on pedestrian safety and traffic calming on Riverside Avenue and Park Street. The project also includes streetscaping that will feature the installation of sidewalks, signage, trees, lighting and curbing along the route 72 corridor.
“We didn’t really have the infrastructure and the capacity for people to really to walk on the sidewalk,” said State Rep. Joe Hoxha (R-78). “This makes it safer, makes it cleaner and it encourages people to get out and be a little bit more active and walk. We want this whole downtown West End area to be one big cohesive unit.”
The Community Investment Fund (CIF) is a statewide program that fosters economic development in historically underserved communities across the state, awarding up to $175 million each fiscal year to eligible municipalities. Bristol was awarded one of the larger CIF grants that will allow the city to enhance economic development and small business growth.
Rep. Mary Fortier, who served as a City Councilor from 2013 to 2021, said that the West End project has been something that city officials have been discussing for several years.
“When you see what the place looks like now and then you see the pictures that the professionals create to show you what it could look like; these were the most transformative pictures I’ve ever seen in my time serving in government,” said Fortier.
“By trying to revitalize our downtown, making these streets beautiful again, it’s going to go a long way for the businesses that are there. It’ll have other businesses looking at those vacant properties and saying this is an attractive place to set up my business.”
New development in the center of Bristol has expedited the need to improve roadways leading into downtown. Deputy Mayor Cheryl Thibeault said that she sees the Route 72 corridor improvements as an important part in the downtown revitalization.
“We recognize the heart is the small business,” said Thibeault. “Small businesses are what’s going to drive this town and now we have a way to connect them. With the new apartments going downtown with the Carrier Project, all those people and restaurants underneath; we can have a great thing going all the way down to the Sessions Building.”
Laura Bailey can be reached at lbailey@bristoledition.org
All TBE readers, supporters and donors
The Bristol Edition will be limiting the number of stories non-members and free readers may access each week. This decision is based on our financial projections and, most certainly, to remind people that TBE is serious about providing accurate, timely and thorough reporting for Bristol. To do this we have devised a financial support structure that makes unlimited access extremely affordable, beginning with a $6 monthly donation.
- Non-members will be able to access four (4) articles per week.
- Free readers and people who have subscribed by email will be able to access four (4) articles per week.
- Donors and financial supporters will have unlimited access as long as they log in.
Note: Donors may have to contact TBE if they find they are being limited, since we will need to set up a membership account for you. Email editor@bristoledition.org for instructions. Sorry for any inconvenience. People with financial difficulties may write editor@bristoledition.org to be considered for free access.
