CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – The U.S. Department of Transportation will award the City of Charleston a $1.75 million RAISE Grant to get a transformational infrastructure project in Charleston shovel-ready.
The City, in partnership with the WV Department of Transportation, will use the RAISE Grant for the Charleston Capital Connector Project.
City officials say the project will transform the Kanawha Boulevard corridor along the riverfront and connect the Greenbrier Street gateway to the community.
According to a release Monday, “The Capital Connector Project will enhance safety, pedestrian and bicyclist accessibility, transit access, transportation efficiency and streetscaping along Kanawha Boulevard from Magic Island to the 35th Street Bridge. It would also upgrade Greenbrier Street from Kanawha Boulevard to Washington Street. The project also includes improved walkability and bike-ability for the Southside Bridge and 35th Street Bridge.”
“The City of Charleston has been actively seeking federal funding to help with key infrastructure projects in our Capital City,” said Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin. “The Charleston Capital Connector Project will increase mobility in some of our most-trafficked areas, and better connect the West Side to Downtown and the East End, while also improving safety. We appreciate the support from our congressional delegation, the State of West Virginia, Kanawha County and many local partners.”
The City of Charleston received strong support for the RAISE Grant application from both Senator Joe Manchin and Senator Shelley Moore Capito.
“Residents of Charleston and Kanawha County know how important both the Kanawha Boulevard East and Greenbrier Street corridors are to accessing various parts of the city. That is why I personally advocated for the necessary resources to complete this vital project. Investments into our roads, bridges, and core infrastructure can help modernize our cities, spur economic development, and make travel far more efficient and safer. Projects like this were top of mind as I helped craft the bipartisan infrastructure package and will continue to be a primary focus through my work as Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee,” said Senator Capito said in a statement released last Thursday.
“Investing in infrastructure projects across West Virginia will have a monumental impact on our communities and local economies. For months, I have been advocating for the Charleston Capital Connector Project, which will upgrade and improve the Kanawha Boulevard corridor and Greenbrier Street gateway. In October, I called Department of Transportation Secretary Buttigieg and urged him to make this project a reality, and I’m pleased DOT heeded my request to improve our capital city. As we work to put the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill into action, I will continue to advocate for infrastructure projects across the Mountain State,” Senator Manchin said in a statement released last Thursday.