Funding Awarded for Capital Improvement projects in 14 Connecticut Small Towns Including Union and Chaplin

Hartford, CT – State Senator Tony Guglielmo (R-Stafford) and State Representative Mike Alberts ((R-Brooklyn, Eastford, Pomfret, Union, Woodstock) joined Governor Dannel Malloy today in congratulating 14 small towns throughout Connecticut which are being awarded grants under the state’s Small Town Economic Assistance Program (STEAP). The money is to be utilized for certain capital improvement projects, such as road and bridge upkeep, public water system maintenance, and other municipal facility projects.

“The financial challenges facing small communities like Chaplin and Union mean that not every problem gets fixed,” said Sen. Guglielmo.

The towns announced today include: Bolton, Branford, Burlington, Chaplin, Columbia, Durham, East Lyme, Granby, Kent, Marlborough, North Haven, Old Lyme, Trumbull, and Union.

“By partnering together, the state and local governments can make meaningful improvements that directly impact residents and help small towns maintain the New England charm that makes Connecticut so unique,” Gov. Malloy said.

The individual STEAP grants in the 35th district announced today are:

UNION: $261,000 to reconstruct Cemetery Road, which runs through the center of Union and is 1.79 miles long. With the Town of Union being the smallest town in the state and only having a population of a little over 700 people and very few businesses, a project of this size is something that the town could never accomplish without outside assistance.

State Representative Mike Alberts (R-Brooklyn, Eastford, Pomfret, Union, Woodstock) said, “I am very appreciative of the Governor’s recognition of the need for these funds for the Town of Union. This grant will go a long way toward a much-needed reclaiming and paving project for a large section of Cemetery Road – over the years heavy truck traffic has significantly damaged the road.”

CHAPLIN: $450,000 to reconstruct Bedlam Road Bridge, which is in need of repairs. Located on a significant road for the town, it is a necessary crossing of a brook which allows residents to travel to work, shopping and schools. The bridge is also essential to providing emergency, fire and rescue services, and provides an important school bus route to get children to school in a timely and safe manner.

“This substantial amount of money from the state will help fix the Bedlam Bridge which is now more than two decades old,” State Senator Tony Guglielmo (R-Stafford) said. “In Union, town leaders will receive a much needed financial boost to redo Cemetery Road, which many residents use when getting around local tie ups on Buckley Highway. Communities have to maintain safe roads and workable transportation systems. The STEAP awards being provided to these small towns will help make residents safer. I am happy to see this kind of support from the state.”