Sparta Streetscape Project Awarded Federal Grant
February 27, 2009 by DDA
Filed under Announcements, DDA, Sparta TODAY Newspaper
Thanks to a matching federal Transportation Enhancement Grant administered by the Michigan Department of Transportation, Downtown Sparta will begin a Streetscape Project in April. 
This project is an initiative of the Downtown Development Authority in partnership with the Village of Sparta. Sparta is one of only seven municipalities in Michigan to receive the grant in 2009. With $376,500 in Transportation Enhancement Grant funds, the improvements include pedestrian safety measures including brick crosswalks and lighting, benches, trees, shrubs, and landscaping in an effort to slow traffic down. Project limits are on Division Avenue from State Street to the Nash Creek Bridge and along N. Union. Additional funding is through Kent County, Sparta DDA, and the Village of Sparta.
This project is an initiative of the Downtown Development Authority in partnership with the Village of Sparta. Sparta is one of only seven municipalities in Michigan to receive the grant in 2009. With $376,500 in Transportation Enhancement Grant funds, the improvements include pedestrian safety measures including brick crosswalks and lighting, benches, trees, shrubs, and landscaping in an effort to slow traffic down. Project limits are on Division Avenue from State Street to the Nash Creek Bridge and along N. Union. Additional funding is through Kent County, Sparta DDA, and the Village of Sparta.
For a few years, the DDA and Village have been budgeting funds in anticipation of this project, which means taxes will not be increased and special assessments will not happen for this project. The DDA captures a percentage of tax dollars from the taxing jurisdictions on specific DDA parcels as passed by State Legislation to work on development projects. The project is anticipated for competition in early July.