Juliet Burling, director of planning, told the City Council Monday that staff seek authorization to apply for a New York State Climate Smart Communities grant to fund multimodal redesign work on Clinton Street.

Burling said the city would seek up to $2,000,000 in state funds for a project with a maximum total budget of $2,500,000; because the city is designated a disadvantaged community, a 20% match is required. "We're hoping to ask for 2 and a half million, the maximum, and there is a 20% match required," Burling said; staff later clarified the grant request would be up to $2,000,000 toward a $2,500,000 project.

Nut graf: The proposal would narrow travel lanes, extend sidewalks, add trees and pedestrian amenities, and create space for bike and e-bike facilities and outdoor uses intended to reduce vehicle miles traveled and greenhouse-gas emissions while supporting local retail.

Burling and other staff said existing sidewalks feel narrow in places and that the street currently allows higher vehicle speeds than residents and businesses find comfortable. The plan would retain a 20-foot center for buses and deliveries while expanding sidewalks and adding pedestrian amenities, lighting and trees. Planning staff estimated a gross emissions baseline for the corridor of roughly 2,250 metric tons (city estimate) to provide a measure for future reductions.

Councilmembers asked about the source of the 20% match. Burling said the match would be identified through the city's budget process if the grant application is submitted; the grant deadline is July 31 while the city budget is not finalized until October, so the request is introductory and additional cost breakdowns and public engagement will be provided before any final vote.

Staff said the project aligns with Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) priorities and could leverage DRI funding without supplanting private project allocations. Councilmembers also discussed other corridors, including Southside East, as candidates for future multimodal work and urged staff to consider consistent policy on bike lanes across reconstruction projects.

Ending: The resolution to apply will be brought forward with more detailed cost estimates and public engagement results for a later vote; the council authorized staff to pursue grant development and follow up with budget-match plans as needed.