City of Wall Receives Transportation Commission Development Grant

The South Dakota Transporta- tion Commission awarded over $3.9 million in economic development grants for infrastructure improve- ments to counties and smaller com- munities across South Dakota. The economic development grant pro- gram funds awarded at the Trans- portation Commission meeting on Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021, will im- prove roads leading to schools, main business areas, hospitals, grain elevators, and other economic areas in the communities. The grants pay for 80 percent of the construction costs, up to a maxi- mum of $600,000. The Commission awards the economic development grants in the fall of each year.

“The economic development grants are an important part of the department’s overall grant pro- gram to assist local governments in improving their infrastructure ac- ross the state,” says Secretary Joel Jundt. “Without these state grant funds, some of these communities would not have the financial ability toimproveaccessthatfosterseco- nomic development and quality of life.”

Community Access Grants:

• City of Freeman - $600,000 for Main and Railway Streets which serve the business area and the local elevator.

• City of Lemmon - $600,000 for 1st Street SE, 2nd Street, and 1st

Avenue which serve a business area, elevator, and the high school.

• City of Wall - $600,000 for 4th Avenue which serves a business area and the elevator.

• City of Canistota - $555,000 for 5th, 6th, 7th Avenues and Pine Street which serve a business area and schools.

• City of Corona - $600,000 for Main Street and Railroad Avenue which serve a business area.

• City of Kennebec - $600,000 for Main Street which serve a business area and the elevator.

• City of Miller - $387,700 for East 4th Street which serves the school.

The Transportation Commission developed the program in the early 1980’s to improve economic devel- opment in South Dakota. Grant re- view and approval is completed by the SDDOT Transportation Com- mission with the funding coming from the State Highway Fund. This year, $4 million was available through the discretionary funds, and the Commission awarded $3.943 million.

The economic development grants were created to help com- munities with the development of transportation access for agricul- tural, industrial park businesses or to assist smaller towns with pro- grams for main streets, roads to el- evators, schools, hospitals, and

other vital community access proj- ects. Over the past 5 years, the grant program has awarded over $20.4 million in state funds to local governments to help with local projects.

The Transportation Commis- sion considers applications sub- mitted for Industrial Park and Agri-Business in the spring, summer, and fall each year. Com- munity access grant applications are accepted in the summer and considered in the fall. Currently, the funding levels are $2.5 million for Community Access, $1.0 mil- lion for Agribusiness, and $0.5 mil- lion for Industrial Park Grants with reallocation of any un- awarded funds to the Community Access program. The successful applicants are given two years to complete the work. However, there is flexibility to extend the agree- ment if factors outside the appli- cant’s control delay the project. A prime example of such factors would be supply chain issues.

Moreinformationregardingthe grant programs and the process for applying can be found on the De- partment’s website at https://dot.sd.gov/doing-business /local-governments/transportation- economic-development-grants or by contacting Paula Huizenga, 605-773-6253 or Doug Kinniburgh at 605-773-4284.