As businesses continue to boom in the city of Franklin infrastructure grants received are now helping with sidewalks and new park equipment.
On Monday the city announced they were awarded $546,337 for a Louisiana Transportation Alternatives grant through the DOTD.
The grant money will be put towards new sidewalks and handicap accessibility in certain streets off of Main street.
Construction on their sidewalks is expected to be a two to three-year project.
“The LTAP grant which was a transportation alternatives program grant which will redo quite a few miles of sidewalk in the city of Franklin, help it be more handicap accessible, help it better to walk for our seniors,” Verdin said. “As well as tourism and economic development it all works together.”
Bargain Barn Too store owner Corrie Uze said it’ll help benefit their downtown and has seen those using walkers struggle with cracks in the sidewalks.
“Well it’d be more accessible for seniors with walkers or wheelchairs to be able to get onto the sidewalks without having to worry about rolling the wheels into the cracks or anything, to come into to shop in all of the local stores here on Main street,” Uze said.
Verdin said in the past four years the city has seen about 40 new businesses pop up- and keeping up with their infrastructure helps keep businesses alive.
“A couple of other little boutique shops as well, another restaurant, food truck shall I say, that opened up with a craft store,” Verdin said. “so you name it we have it going.”
They also received a $400,000 grant to help beautify and update their parks.
“And also, the other grant we got the Love Louisiana grant which allowed us to replace all equipment in all four of the parks in the city of Franklin.”
Verdin said the city’s next focus on infrastructure is making the boardwalk in Park Sir La Teche assessable for seniors and those with disabilities.
