$1.5 million approved for planning of ‘Connect Dublin’ project

Connect Dublin will work to improve Dublin’s Scottsville, Southside and Stubbs neighborhoods.

DUBLIN, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The U.S. Department of Transportation approved a $1.5 million grant for the Connect Dublin project, which will go toward planning for the improvement of city-owned roads and sidewalks.

Connect Dublin, a 10-year project, aims to improve Dublin’s Scottsville, Southside and Stubbs neighborhoods. The grant approval marks the beginning of the planning phase, which will include a bicycle-pedestrian study, an environmental screening and community outreach.

Mayor Joshua Kight says the three neighborhoods selected for the project have long been underfunded. Once planning is complete, Kight says the city will use the plan to apply for additional grants and get to work on connecting these neighborhoods with other parts of town for easier access.

“It’s gonna allow us to plan out a transportation system that’s not just about cars, but people who are walking or people who have to travel by bicycle,” Kight said. “So if you live in this neighborhood, and maybe you don’t have access to a vehicle, maybe you can still get to the resources you need. And I think that that’s going to be a real benefit to the people who live here.”

JoAnna Glover, the Vice President of the Southside Community Association, is passionate about the need for improvements in her neighborhood and happy Dublin was approved for the $1.5 million planning grant.

“That means that the city is addressing the needs as to what we really need in our community,” Glover said. “The better sidewalks, the drainage areas and the overflow of those drainage areas. We’re just so excited that we can have this done and not worry about our safety anymore.”

For more information about the Connect Dublin project, click here.