Community Infrastructure Grants Aim To Attract Residents And Businesses

Several small communities in southern West Virginia have been awarded state and federal grant funds designed to make them more accessible and attractive.  

The projects, announced Friday by Gov. Patrick Morrisey, total $637,000. 

“Not all infrastructure is highways,” Morrisey said. “Sometimes it’s a sidewalk that helps a child get to school safely. Sometimes it’s a revitalized Main Street that brings people back downtown. Those investments improve quality of life, strengthen local economies, and build the kind of communities where families want to live, work, and raise the next generation.” 

The funds come from a partnership between local leaders, the federal Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP), and the Recreational Trails Program, and target pedestrian safety, active transportation, and outdoor accessibility improvements.  

The projects are: 

• City of Beckley – $125,000: For new downtown sidewalks along Main Street 

• Town of Fayetteville – $387,500: To fund construction of the Second Avenue Pedestrian Bridge to physically reconnect historically separated neighborhoods and sidewalk improvements through the town 

• City of Hinton – $75,000: For the design phase of a major sidewalk project from the intersection of Pleasant Street and Second Avenue to Main and Washington streets. 

• Twin Falls Resort State Park – $50,000: To design a paved, quarter-mile nature trail located by the park lodge 

“When you think about infrastructure, we know that it’s not only good in terms of lowering businesses to the state, but it’s good for the communities who live here, because you want streets that are paved, you want sidewalks that work, that are attractive,” Morrisey said. “It really connects communities and really makes it easier for people to walk around.” 

Communities who missed this latest round of grants can apply online at dohgrants.wv.gov.