Kaptur Announces $20 Million USDOT RAISE Grant Awarded to Reconnect Junction and Downtown Communities In Toledo

Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) announced the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) will award $20 Million to the City of Toledo to assist the city’s “Connecting Toledo Neighborhoods to Opportunity” (CTNO) initiative. The project as proposed will redevelop connections between downtown neighborhoods in Toledo and the nearby Junction neighborhood with a protected sidewalk across the Dorr Street overpass of Interstate 75 and a new 10-foot-wide multi-use path that will extend approximately 0.75 miles from the downtown area into the Junction neighborhood. It will also make approximately 4.4 miles of street enhancements including ADA-compliant sidewalks, on-street protected bike lanes, LED lighting, artistic crosswalks, street trees, landscaping, seating, bike shelters, and a public transit mobility hub. The Toledo Social Innovation District (TSID) will catalyze job creation, investment, and workforce development and bring equitable, broad-based economic opportunity to one of Toledo’s most disadvantaged areas. More information about the grant application and CTNO can be found by clicking here<https://toledo.oh.gov/raise>.

“This award to the City of Toledo will go a long way to improving infrastructure and the safety of everyday Toledoans,” said Rep. Kaptur. “Reconnecting neighborhoods and making our cities safer and more walkable improves road safety and pedestrian safety for a true win-win. I want to congratulate Mayor Kapszukiewicz and the City of Toledo on this forward thinking initiative and look forward to joining our downtown and Junction area neighbors in celebrating the reconnection of these communities so important to Toledo’s history and its future.”

“Today, we celebrate a remarkable milestone in the growth and progress of our city. This grant will ignite a new era of innovation and transformation for the Uptown and Junction neighborhoods,” said Mayor Kapszukiewicz. “Our plan to enhance pedestrian safety, expand bicycle infrastructure, and create vibrant streetscapes will tie together fragmented active transportation networks and connect Toledo residents to new opportunities, new jobs, and new quality of life. This grant empowers us to nurture a thriving Toledo Social Innovation District that will define the next 50 years in Toledo’s history. The impact this project will have on our legacy cannot be overstated and I am filled with gratitude for the support from all our partners who have brought us to this day.”