Business View Civil & Municipal - May 2023

122 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 5 Street improvement projects in the city have been allotted $4 million, which will be used to wind down work on one of the major arterial roads, and included in the funding is a street preservation project over the city. Recently, a grant was received for highway work and an overpass. The next project is the reconstruction and extension of the runway at the local general aviation airport. It is a busy airport, and it has taken over 15 years to secure the funding. The project is estimated to cost $11 million, and the grant was provided by the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration). Augusta is also looking to address the significant gaps in its electrical infrastructure with a $4 million grant that will be used to build up the capacity to serve existing businesses as well as new ones. In general, ensuring it is more reliable. This electrical project is 100% grant funded. The city is planning on building a new substation, a new transmission line, and a new theater for the industrial park. The development is being constructed so that major employers get access to consistent electricity. “Anything we can do to make our electrical system more reliable and carry a higher capacity feed is a massive win for the community,” says Shaw. Augusta is also undertaking a new residential subdivision, the first in 20 years. The project got started via a creative financing strategy that utilizes a moderate-income housing grant in conjunction with an inducement tool called the Rural Housing Incentive. The city is partnering with a development team to offer houses at more affordable prices. “The developer is taking on the responsibility and the cost of building all the infrastructure, and they’re utilizing those grants to pass on the savings to the homeowners,” says Shaw.