Seventeen Connecticut cities and towns have collectively been awarded $12 million by the state to improve the safety and mobility of pedestrians, bicyclists and transit users in community centers.
The funding is part of the seventh round of awards for the Connecticut Department of Transportation's (CTDOT) "Community Connectivity" program.
"Connecting residents with their communities through these projects is vital to boosting economic development, creating dynamic town centers and encouraging alternative modes of transportation like walking or biking," Gov. Ned Lamont said in a recent press release. "Supporting this program improves the quality of life for towns and cities across the state."
The municipalities receiving the grants are Ansonia, Berlin, Branford, Bristol, Brookfield, Chester, Manchester, Marlborough, New Haven, North Haven, Norwalk, Old Lyme, Plainfield, Salisbury, West Hartford, Wethersfield and Windsor Locks.
Applications from the New England state's cities and towns were scored using a rubric to assess a proposed project's "public benefit impact," as well as considering its planned connectivity with transportation, projected budgets and a town's "readiness to proceed" being factored, noted the Daily Campus, a Storrs, Conn., news source, on Nov. 20, 2025.
Delegations from the selected communities have expressed their appreciation for the funding opportunity. One such town is Marlborough, which will be using its $348,224 grant to extend sidewalks in the town center's green area near Connecticut Highway 66.
"Marlborough consistently ranks as one of the best communities to live in around Greater Hartford, so I'm pleased that with these new, extended sidewalks, [people will] be able to see more connectivity in the center of town," said State Sen. Cathy Osten, District 19, which includes Marlborough and eight other communities.
Some selected towns are using the funds to construct or improve bike lanes and trails.
For instance, Manchester's $800,000 award will be put toward the city's "Downtown Manchester Improvements Project" through the construction of a "cycle track" alongside Main Street.
"Cycle tracks are intended to be exclusively used for bicycles," noted the city's project narrative. "On streets where on-street parking is allowed, cycle tracks are located to the curbside of the parking — in contrast to bike lanes which are typically between parking and the travel lane. While not the first cycle track in Connecticut, we believe this would be the first cycle track of its type in a downtown district."
"This funding will enhance safety and accessibility for our community," State Sen. MD Rahman explained on social media. "I look forward to working with our local leaders to make these improvements a reality for everyone."
The Community Connectivity program funding can only be used for a town's construction plans costing between $100,000 and $800,000, with an expectation that the work will be completed within three years, according to the CTDOT.
The agency also noted that municipalities would be responsible for any expenses that exceed the grant cap and costs outside of construction activities, such as property acquisition or public involvement activities.
"We remain focused on increasing safety and enhancing connectivity across Connecticut … helping towns and cities deliver important projects," Connecticut Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto said in the news release. "We're grateful to Governor Lamont and the General Assembly for their continued support of these efforts."
Previous rounds of the program have awarded 155 grants totaling approximately $74 million, according to the transportation department. CTDOT began the funding in 2023 and said at the time that a new solicitation process for the program would be announced every two years.
Previous projects funded by the agency's grant initiatives include ADA upgrades, multi-use pathways, landscaping and weatherproofing of sidewalks and other public facilities in cities and towns statewide.
