The Colusa City Council last week voted unanimously to commit funds from the city’s cannabis earnings to help pay for a major street repair project.
The city is looking to secure a federal transportation grant that could rehabilitate Fremont Street, from Bridge to 10th Street, but the city must show it is willing to put some skin in the game.
“If we get this grant, we are going to ask (the council) to commit $578,000 to meet the 20 percent cash match,” City Manager Jesse Cain said. “We should know in November if we actually get the grant.”
The $2.9 million project could extend the life of the street another 10 or 15 years.
Colusa’s new grant writer, Fernanda Vanetta, with City Engineer Dave Swartz is looking to secure the funding from the Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program, awarded by the Department of Transportation, to improve safety and reliability of movement, generate regional economic growth, and improve quality of life.
The grant is competitive, but Fremont Street would meet the criteria of the grant, because the street has not deteriorated to a point that it would require a complete replacement.
“It’s not the worst street in Colusa but it is a very busy location,” said Mayor Tom Reische.
The project would include grinding the existing surface in place, overlay with new asphalt, along with replacing water lines and installing storm drains, new signs, curbs, gutter, crosswalks, and sidewalks, officials said.
Colusa has $1.2 million in cannabis funds, which is about 10 percent of what officials thought the city would have earned when it opened its doors to the legal industry more than a decade ago.
However, the City Council has always intended that the revenue be used as leverage to secure state and federal grants, largely for street repairs.
“I love seeing the cannabis money utilized as the match,” Councilman Josh Hill said.
Colusa has until May 23 to apply for the grant. ■