U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced $1.6 million for Reconnect South Park, a neighborhood-based group that is developing a plan to remove or restructure State Route 99 through South Park.
The funds are part of a first-of-its-kind initiative to connect local communities that are cut off from opportunity or burdened by past infrastructure decisions.
It represents one of 45 projects that are receiving $185 million in grant awards.
The project provides communities funding for the planning and construction of projects that include removing, retrofitting, or mitigating barriers such as highways or railroad tracks.
The first round of grants will fund the construction of projects such as building parks, reclaiming land, planting trees, and adding new crossings for bridges, tunnels, and trails.
“Transportation should connect, not divide, people and communities,” Buttigieg said. “We are proud to announce the first grantees of our Reconnecting Communities Program, which will unite neighborhoods, ensure the future is better than the past, and provide Americans with better access to jobs, health care, groceries, and other essentials.”
A full list of grant awards can be found on the U.S. Department of Transportation’s website.