Grant to bring new sidewalks to Prospect

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PROSPECT — Prospect will get new sidewalks near Town Hall thanks to a state grant announced last week.

The project was among 12 awarded as part of the third installment of Small Town Economic Assistance Program grants for infrastructure improvement projects this year.

In Prospect, a $125,000 grant will repair existing sidewalks and install new sidewalks along Center Street and Columbia Avenue, which runs alongside the Town Hall. The new sidewalks will extend the full length of the road to provide safe traveling spaces for runners, walkers and students of nearby schools. The project will also bring the area up to Americans with Disabilities Act code and add attractive landscaping.

“I’m very pleased,” Prospect Mayor Robert Chatfield said.

He thanked Prospect’s state legislators and his grant writer for their work to get the funding.

The sidewalks in front of Town Hall don’t currently meet ADA standards, Chatfield said.

The project will bring it up to code and replace some of the steps in front of Town Hall, he said. The town will build a new sidewalk to the left of Town Hall for middle school students and replace the sidewalk on the other side of the street to make it ADA complaint, Chatfield said. He said that sidewalk will connect to the new sidewalk at the intersection of Routes 68 and 69.

In addition, Chatfield said the town hopes to put solar-powered lights along Center Street.

Chatfield said the town will have to go through a bid process, which will ultimately have to be approved by the state, before work can start.

“It’s not like they send me a check and I start the job. It doesn’t work that way with grants,” Chatfield said. “It’s their money so they will make sure we are spending it correctly.”

Chatfield expects construction to start in the spring.

Luke Marshall contributed to this article.