We've got a brick street, the last of its kind in our small city. It is located wtihin our designated historic district, and is in disrepair. We would very much like to restore the brick rather than be forced to pave it over, but the restoration work would be quite expensive. I am trying to find a source of funding to assist with this effort, but can only find funding for preservation of historic buildings. Has anyone come across funding for restoration of brick or cobblestone streets?
Thanks!
Brick street restoration/preservation is probably eligible for Transportation Enhancement (TE) funding at 80/20 match. Check with your local MPO.
OT -- everybody around here gets excited about brick streets when they see brick along the gutters. They plead that they want the city to scarify and restore the brick streets. Great idea, except that the streets are actually paved, only the gutters are brick. Doh!
I have seen
old ships sailing
like swans asleep
You could create a BID, finance the work through a loan or bond, and have the BID make the payments.
Might be worth at least check the math on this idea to see what the BID tax rate impace might be.
All these years the people said he’s actin’ like a kid.
He did not know he could not fly, so he did.
- - Guy Clark, "The Cape"
What is a BID?Originally posted by SGB
A BID is a not-for-profit corporation that is created when a group of businesses and others join forces to take responsibility for providing additional services in the area where they do business and live, supplementing what government can provide, and undertaking other projects.
BIDs are supported by assessments from all owners of real property within its boundaries (residential units are exempt). After a BID is established, BID assessments are billed by a city's department of finance; payments are collected by the city and forwarded to the BID. The activities of the BID are governed by a board of directors composed of property owners, businesses, city and government officials, and resident and community representatives.
I found a good discussion of BIDs in this document (Adobe Acrobate format).
All these years the people said he’s actin’ like a kid.
He did not know he could not fly, so he did.
- - Guy Clark, "The Cape"
I would agree that this would be a great source. There are many downfalls that local agencies have when applying for these funds. These include:
- a committment for the matching amount.
- whether the street is classified to receive federal aid funding (funds cannot be expended on local streets).
- the application needs to be as complete as possible, with a reliable funding estimate, as this project will most likely compete for these funds against projects the will no dooubt have better visablity, more usefulness, or are a political favorite.
-if your city is too small to be considered within an MPO, most rural programs are adminstered by the State Department of Transportation, so use them as your contact.
Michigan has a very comprehensive enhancement web-site, this site also provides a single point application process that enables both the MPOs and the state to review the application materials. It also provides the prospective applicant with successful project examples. Here is a link to it:
http://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0,1607,...231---,00.html
Who owns the street? NYDOT or the city or county? I know NYSDOT has part of a state route with brick in E. Aurora, NY.
A guy once told me, "Do not have any attachments, do not have anything in your life you are not willing to walk out on in 30 seconds flat if you spot the heat around the corner."
Neil McCauley (Robert DeNiro): Heat 1995
Good point, our MPO also makes projects competitively fight for the grant dollars, thereby prioritizing projects. If you aren't improving pedestrian safety or sewers (health) somehow, then projects don't make our list. Simple resurfacing/restoration projects would get no love in our MPO.
Who's gonna re-invent the wheel today?
Really? About 90 percent of Our MPO's funding goes toward maintaining the system or making minor adjustments for safety/traffic progression. Michigan will pay for road drainage, but not sewers (that is unless you simplified things for the 'I just wanna make things pretty' folks.
I was in your neck of the woods last weekend, went to Kelly's Island.. wow what a contrast to South Bass!
Our fair (impoverished) city owns the street. Unfortunately, we have already expored TE funds and have gotten an unqualified NO. And a BID would never fly in this area as it is a small and not terribly wealthy (okay, not at all wealthy) neighborhood. And not all of the property owners are particularly supportive of historic preservation - unfortunate since they own property in a designated HISTORIC district. Can you see my frustration shining though???
Piggy bank. Many, many piggy banks. Unless it was hit by a hurricane - then you'll have oodles (yes - oodles) of cash.
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