Federal planning grant crosses state lines

The Pioneer Valley Planning Commission will share in a $4.2 million federal grant intended to coordinate development in a region stretching through Holyoke and Springfield to the Hartford, Conn., area.

The money will be used to create a “Knowledge Corridor Regional Plan for Sustainable Development” that will emphasize such goals as capitalizing on a planned Springfield-to-New Haven, Conn., high-speed rail connection; leveraging the talent of the region’s 32 colleges and universities; developing a “green infrastructure plan for clean water”; and helping to strengthen markets for locally grown food.

The Pioneer Valley Planning Commission and the Hartford-based Capitol Regional Council of Governments worked together in applying for the grant, which is administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The grant is intended for the planning and design of projects, as well as their implementation.

“We could have applied separately, but we felt it would make for a more effective partnership to apply jointly,” said Chris Curtis, the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission’s chief planner.

In the Pioneer Valley, a key focus will be to support what Curtis described as “catalytic” projects in area cities. In Springfield, Curtis said, the grant will cover the design costs for renovating the city’s Court Square. In Chicopee, money will be available for designing the extension of a 3.7-mile bikeway, which currently ends in Springfield, along the Connecticut River.

In Holyoke, where plans are in place for a high-speed computing center supported by a consortium of universities, the grant will support the revitalization of Depot Square.

“Our urban core communities are absolutely vital to the health of our region,” Curtis said.