ADAMS -- Everyone's invited to take a look at what Park Street could be, with help, at Tuesday's Community Development public hearing at 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall.
Those planning to go can expect full details the street's redesign concept, put together last year by engineers Vanasse Hangen Brustlin Inc., with plenty of public input.
"Come refamiliarize yourself with the project, have your questions answered and continue what's been an interactive public process," Director of Community Development Donna Cesan said Friday.
A strong turnout would put momentum behind the town's 2013 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application, to be submitted Feb. 15.
It seeks $900,000 in federal funds from the state that would enable improvements to the town's main street.
The plan includes a new roadway and sidewalks, curb extensions at three crosswalks, bike lanes and new drains and sewers, as well as street amenities and visual improvements like benches, trash receptacles, small vertical posts, hanging baskets, planters and bike racks.
Not a mini-entitlement community like its neighbor to the north, Adams must apply for CDBG funds annually in competition with other municipalities.
The town's made out on 10 of its last 12 tries for CDBG funding, and Cesan is cautiously hopeful that success might come again, after last year's application for the same Park Street project brought home no more than high marks from the
It received a perfect score. So for 2013, all that's been done is some fine tuning, Cesan said.
"I feel good about the design, and our application," Cesan said.
Town Administrator Jonathan Butler hopes residents take an interest in what he deemed an "important project."
"It's a big deal," Butler said. "If we get the grant I think we'll see people get excited."
It's far from a sure thing, though. The doggedly tough economy of recent years has caught up with state funding.
Cesan said communities are competing for a shrinking pot of CDBG funds this year -- an allotment of roughly $13.5 million. But, since its application was to no avail last year, the town and its project has received a higher "community need" score from the state in 2013.
"That's good because it all factors into our equation and every little bit helps," Cesan said.
To reach Phil Demers, email
pdemers@thetranscript.com.
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