US DOT Thriving Communities Program

​Chase Barnes, Collin Willard, Lori Spagnolo, Matt Harris, and Larry Windley from UD’s Grant Assistance Program (GAP) engaged technical assistance providers from Main Street America, Rails to Trails, and the Rural Community Assistance Program at a kick-off event in Milford and Slaughter Beach, Delaware, to discuss the proposed multi-use trail connecting the two municipalities along Route 36 (Cedar Beach Road). The recreational trail project funding comes as the result of the successful U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Thriving Communities Program Grant application that was submitted by Milford and Slaughter Beach with the help of the GAP team. On Jan. 17 and 18, technical assistance providers toured both municipalities, met with staff to discuss the project, and presented to the Milford City Council. Representatives from the Delaware DOT Byways Program, DuPont Nature Center, Abbott’s Mill Nature Center, Delaware Sea Grant, Delaware Greenways, UD Coastal Resilience Design Studio, Sussex Cyclists, Southern Delaware Tourism, Dover/Kent Metropolitan Planning Organization, and Bike Delaware participated in discussions about the multi-use trail. GAP will continue working with the technical assistance providers to conduct community engagement, agency coordination, and project planning activities. GAP is funded by the State of Delaware and housed in the Institute for Public Administration, a research and public service center in the Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration.​

Article by Sophonie Milord. Originally posted in UDaily's For the Record​​.​​​