Preston ― Town leaders hope to tap into a new state grant program designed to assist distressed municipalities with capital projects and economic development to help fund planned improvements to Poquetanuck Village and the town transfer station.

The town submitted both projects to the Connecticut Investment Fund, seeking $400,000 for engineering and design costs for the Poquetanuck Village project and $750,000 for the second phase of upgrades to the town transfer station.

Grant applications were due Friday for the second round of funding through the Community Investment Fund 2030, created by Gov. Ned Lamont to assist distressed municipalities.

Preston no longer is on the state list of distressed municipalities or public investment communities, but the town remains eligible for state assistance through the programs for five years, First Selectwoman Sandra Allyn-Gauthier said.

Preston hopes the Poquetanuck Village project will transform the historic area at the junction of state routes 2A and 117 from a high-speed thruway into an attractive small-town center that is pedestrian and business friendly. The town received a $3 million state Local Transportation Capital Improvements grant to restructure the roadway. The town, however, still needs engineering and design funding.

Town Planner Kathy Warzecha, who is writing the CIF grant application after working with the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments to create the plan, said the project would connect Poquetanuck Village to Preston Community Park, with “traffic calming” measures to improve pedestrian safety and aesthetics.

Plans continue to evolve, and town officials will meet with SCCOG planners this week to update the design. Warzecha said the state would not approve raised-hump crosswalks. The Tri-Town Trail Committee will take on the task of seeking state approval for a new crosswalk from Preston Community Park to the trail property on Route 117. A 5-foot-wide sidewalk is planned from Route 2A into the historic Poquetanuck Cemetery, Warzecha said.

The main plan includes a 10-foot-wide pedestrian/bicycle path through the park that would connect to a 5-foot-wide new sidewalk through the village along Route 2A, with period lighting and decorative signage. Lined crosswalks are planned at certain spots on Route 2A. The roadway itself will be narrowed to slow traffic. A large square with a different pavement material and color, is planned in the roadway at the Schoolhouse Road intersection to call attention to the busy intersection.

Flashing caution signs are planned to warn drivers of the village crosswalks and intersections.

Another idea is to create a decorative plaza at the junction of route 2A and 117 in front of St. James Episcopal Church, with a curved design, landscaping and a bench.

“It will really look nice,” Warzecha said.

Allyn-Gauthier said if approved, the transfer station grant would continue upgrades at the facility to modernize it and improve the traffic flow.

Allyn-Gauthier is hopeful Preston will be successful in the grant requests. Town officials attended a recent online seminar with state officials to discuss town projects for grant requests, “and these two seemed to fit,” she said. If Preston is not successful, the town will receive a report back with tips to improve a future application to try again, Allyn-Gauthier said.

c.bessette@theday.com