HADLEY — Adding sidewalks to road projects, improving connections to bike paths and making other safety enhancements for pedestrians and bicyclists could be supported in Hadley through the state’s Complete Streets Funding Program.
With recommendations from both interim Town Administrator Michael Mason and Department of Public Works Director Scott McCarthy, the Select Board voted Wednesday to send a letter to the state’s Department of Transportation requesting to become a Complete Streets community.
Complete Streets are defined by the state as “ones that provide safe and accessible options for all travel modes — walking, biking, transit and vehicles — for people of all ages and abilities.” But before becoming an eligible community, Hadley will need to pass an administrative policy and develop a prioritization plan.
Mason told the Select Board that it’s “an absolute no-brainer” for Hadley to be part of the program, through which the town could access grants from the state by working with its grant manager and program coordinator.
“We would work with them to do any projects that we identify, but they would have to follow within the scope of work that fits with the Complete Streets program,” Mason said.
Mason said McCarthy has identified numerous projects that could qualify. The town would then be eligible for grants of up to $500,000 every five years for either one or two large projects, or several smaller projects.
According to the letter, the Select Board will need to write the administrative policy and draft the prioritization plan before applying for money for actual jobs. There doesn’t need to be a bylaw passed by Town Meeting,
The letter, signed by Chairwoman Molly Keegan, states that Hadley will approve a Complete Streets policy within a year, following at least one public meeting to present the policy for comment.
“We are committed to being a part of the Complete Streets Funding Program and would like to begin work on the development of our Complete Streets Prioritization Plan while our Complete Streets Policy is being developed,” reads the letter.
In other business, the Select Board:
■Recognized three retiring employees with proclamations extending thanks and appreciation for their dedication to the town.
The citations went to Janice Kangas, who served as a town employee 37 years, including as assistant town clerk and assessors clerk; Dan Zdonek, who served for 35 years as a Hadley assessor; and Joan Zuzgo, who spent 28 years as a benefits and payroll administrator, assistant treasurer and assistant accountant.
“These three individuals have committed an unbelievable amount of not just time, but dedicated a good portion of their lives, to make sure everyone is taken care of,” Keegan said.