The Nebraska Department of Economic has awarded $2,034,079 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to five communities under the 2022 Public Works Opportunity to the local governments listed below. Projects include a hike/bike trail, a senior center and street improvements.
Among the recipients of grant funds is the city of Wayne.
The City of Wayne currently has an extensive trail system and CDBG funding in the amount of $433,000 will assist to expand that system from residential areas to a major retail corridor that provides goods and services within the municipal limits of the City. The project will create approximately 0.7 additional miles in length of a six-foot-wide concrete trail that will run parallel to Highway 35/7th Street on the west end of town between 575th Avenue and the Greenwood Cemetery Entrance. The new trail will be in compliance with the ADA and accessible for mobility constrained users.
"The trail will extend from the Greenwood Cemetery main gates to the west, connect with the existing trail/underpass, run along the "berm" of Western Ridge and continue west in the "ditch" area that will be covered with storm pipe all the way to Bomgaars," said City Administrator Wes Blecke.
A federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) program, administered by DED on behalf of Nebraska’s non-entitlement communities, CDBG dollars exist to help communities tackle projects that enhance public health and safety, economic well-being, local vitality and quality of life.
All of the funded communities demonstrated a solid approach to community development within their project designs and showed that through collaboration, much needed facility and infrastructure improvements are attainable.
Other projects receiving grant funding include:.
Ainsworth – The City of Ainsworth, Brown County, was awarded $433,000 for street improvements. The City is preparing to improve Main Street beginning at the intersection of 4th Street/Nebraska Highway 20 and Main Street/Nebraska Highway 7, following Main Street to the north, and ending at the entrance to the Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Bartlett – The Village of Bartlett, Wheeler County, was awarded $420,279 for street improvements starting at the intersection of Randolph and Fourth Street and will end one block west of the intersection of Fifth and Randolph Street.
Filley – The Village of Filley, Gage County, conducted a community needs assessment in 2022 which demonstrated that street improvements were a high priority in this community of 124 persons. The Village subsequently applied for and was awarded funding in the amount of $315,000 for improving Livingston Street, Gage Street, Lancaster Street and Johnson Street.
Wood River – The City of Wood River, Hall County, is taking advantage of existing usable space in the community to develop a new Senior Center. The current senior center has no parking of its own and was also sharing space with the local food pantry. The center was flooded in 2019 and a Needs Assessment in 2022 showed a desire to use the vacant portion of the old Good Samaritan Center building as a Senior Center. The new Senior Center was funded for $433,000 and allows the City of Wood River to host the Stick Creek Kids Center (also funded by CDBG Public Works), a future food bank, library and Senior Center all under the same roof.
For additional information on the grants, contact Community Development Specialist Aaron Boucher, Aaron.Boucher@nebraska.gov.
