MoCo Awarded $1 Million Grant for Road Improvement
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The Montgomery County Commission has received a $1 million Community Development Block Grant, which will be used to improve Hardeman Road, Bowtie Circle, and North Old River Road.
According to the commissioners, street and drainage improvements will be made to these roads, as both residents and the County Road Department have spoken with the commissioners repeatedly about challenges of the roads, specifically after rainy weather. The work completed through this grant funding will help to alleviate those struggles and will positively impact 35 residents who live in this area.
The total cost of the project will be $1,047,500 which will be divided between the grant and a required $47,500 local match.
This grant is one of 36 grants given to improve Georgia communities, as Georgia Department of Community Affairs Commissioner Christopher Nunn announced that around $33.4 million is being invested in these communities. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development allocates these funds annually to Georgia’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, which is administered by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA). This year’s grant awards include $24.6 million in infrastructure projects (such as the project in Montgomery County), $6.8 million in housing projects, and $2 million in various building projects across 36 Georgia communities.
“These grants are vitally important for revitalizing neighborhoods and addressing aging infrastructure throughout Georgia,” said DCA Director of Community Finance Kimberly Carter. “It’s crucial that these local governments have every opportunity to thrive, and Community Development Block Grants are one of those tools.”
Georgia’s CDBG program is available to nonentitlement local governments and specifically targets rural communities. After a competitive and thorough evaluation process, applications are scored, rated, and ranked. Grants are awarded based on overall merit.
“Community Development Block Grants provide rural Georgians with improved access to resources that enhance their infrastructure, community facilities, and overall quality of life,” said Commissioner Nunn. “It is always an honor to help our rural communities whenever possible.”
The exact initiation and completion dates on the project have not yet been released.