YARMOUTH – Selectmen in Yarmouth were recently presented a federal grant opportunity for improvements to Willow Street.
The proposed project would follow the reconstruction of the intersection of Route 28 and Yarmouth Road in Hyannis, which already has secured $16 million in funding and will begin next year.
Cape Cod Commission Transportation Manager Stephen Tupper presented the new project and advised selectmen to participate in the application process.
“This project would provide the connection on that remaining two-lane portion of the roadway to improve access to Hyannis,” Tupper said.
Tupper said the roadway that connects Route 6 at exit 7 to Hyannis is a regional hub that provides access to Cape Cod Hospital, Barnstable Municipal Airport, Hyannis Transportation Center, the major commercial center, downtown and West Yarmouth.
“It’s really a critical regional roadway,” he said.
The multiple phase project resulted from a Hyannis Access Study completed by the Cape Cod Commission years ago.
The first phase will reconstruct the intersection at Route 28 at Yarmouth Road.
The next phase would continue the reconstruction north up Yarmouth Road as it becomes Willow Street in Yarmouth for about two miles.
“That is a project that has really become a struggle to move forward because it is quite a costly project,” Tupper said.
The BUILD grant would bring in significant federal money for the project which would improve the road up to the section where it becomes a four-lanes just south of the Route 6 interchange.
The application for the federal BUILD grant is due by July 15.
“It’s a real critical congestion and safety issues for people trying to get into the Hyannis area,” he said.
The project would include the taking of commercial properties on the west side of the roadway through eminent domain in order to expand the roadway to a four-lane boulevard design with a multi-use path.
“The exact details and the sequencing would wait until we see if we are successful on the funding application,” Tupper said.
The Cape Cod Commission has been working closely with Barnstable on the project.
“We hope to have the Town of Yarmouth on as a project partner as well and that is why we were there briefing the board on this grant opportunity that came out last week,” Tupper said.
Residents who would like more information on the project can visit www.capecodcommission.org/hyannisaccess.
Moving forward the Commission will continue to work with both towns to prepare a federal BUILD grant application.
“Between now and then there will be opportunities for the public to hear about what is going on and certainly information will be updated on the website,” Tupper said.
By BRIAN MERCHANT, CapeCod.com NewsCenter
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