Village Partnership Initiative (VPI)
General information
MaineDOT will work in partnership with local officials to reinvest and revitalize one of the distinguishing features of New England: our iconic village centers. Depending upon the vision of each individual municipality, we can look to make once-in-a-lifetime investments in the lower-speed areas where people meet, shop, and do business. These village areas need to be built on a human scale: walkable, bicycle-friendly, and business-friendly. In sum, this can be bigger than just transportation; it is potentially place-making. These investments, when coupled with broadband if currently unavailable, will create an incentive for businesses to want to locate, people to live, and others to visit and possibly relocate. We believe these projects will improve pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular safety and have the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by allowing people to do more business locally.
Funding details
Funding application timeline
Grant eligibility
Opportunities are available for any Maine village or downtown on a state or state aid highway where a community has a vision for significant improvements to lower-speed areas that are or could become a community center inviting businesses and community facilities and are walkable and bicycle friendly. These projects and anticipated to cost $10 million or more and would likely be contingent on securing special federal allocations such as earmarks or grants.
Project scope and eligibility determined in consultation with MaineDOT planning staff.