Today in Washington, U.S Senator Susan Collins announced that Maine will receive nearly $50 million through the federal RAISE grant program.  The funding will be used for a downtown revitalization project in Sanford and a transportation project in Bangor.

U.S Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg called Senator Collins this morning to inform her of the grant awards.

Senator Collins said in her statement that “As the Ranking Member of the Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee, securing funding to improve Maine’s infrastructure and bolster our economy is one of my top priorities.  The investment in Sanford is exciting and will be transformative.  It will help revitalize the downtown and improve the quality of life for the city’s residents, attract more visitors, and support small businesses.  The Hogan Road overpass and interchange project in Bangor will significantly enhance safety for drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians as well as help alleviate traffic congestion at the intersection.  I strongly advocated for these projects that will make it easier for Mainers to reach their homes and jobs and strengthen communities.

The projects and grant awards are as follows:

• $25,000,000 for the “Downtown Sanford Village Partnership Initiative.”  The project will make complete streets improvements on approximately 0.7 miles of Cottage Street (Route 202), approximately 0.5 miles of William Oscar Emery Drive, approximately 0.5 miles of Main Street (Route 109), approximately 0.2 miles of Washington Street, and approximately 0.2 miles on School Street in downtown Sanford.  This project will replace and/or construct the street, sidewalks, crosswalk, underground utility ducts, streetlights, parking spaces, drainage areas, a multi-use pathway, and a Park & Ride facility on Emerson Street serving the Navy base; improve safety aspects of downtown for pedestrians, motorists, and all road users; modernize infrastructure to attract potential employers and commercial and residential development; and meet ADA and MDOT standards.
• $24,610,298 for the “Interstate 95 at Hogan Road Improvement Project.”  This project will replace the oldest, 50-year old portion of the Hogan Road overpass along I-95.  The newest portion, built in 1983, will be raised to allow for freight to safely pass underneath. The goal of this project is to improve safety and traffic flow along the overpass through the construction of a diverging diamond interchange along the intersection. Additionally, MDOT plans to construct bicycle and pedestrian friendly walkways that include access for individuals with disabilities.