20 projects across Connecticut will share $11 million in funding under a competitive grant program for transit-oriented development and responsible growth, targeted at boosting economic activity and creating jobs.  Danbury is set to receive $225,000 in state grant money for a Downtown Transit-Oriented Development Planning Study.  The money will be used for research on land use and transportation conditions in the downtown.

Recommendations will then be made to further transit-oriented development, responsible growth, and infill development in the City's downtown area. The planning study will also focus on analyzing existing transportation modes of ridership.

Planning Director Sharon Calitro says it could take several months of negotiations with the state Department of Transportation and other agencies to sign off on the grant and scope of services before going out to bid.  The study itself is expected to take 12 to 15 months.

Calitro says transportation is an important component to the future success of the downtown area. 

There's a 10-percent City funding match required.  There was a contingency worked into the municipal budget in case Danbury was selected for this grant program.

The Main Street Renaissance Task Force has laid out Downtown Revitalization Zone boundaries, which consist of Main Street and City Center, but Calitro says the consultant would look at whether the Transit Orient Development should be a more extensive area.