RAISE Federal Grant Program
City of West Palm Beach awarded $8.1 million Federal Grant
US Representative Lois Frankel, (D-21st, FL) announced the City of West Palm Beach had been awarded a federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant at a news conference in the Flagler Gallery at West Palm Beach City Hall on July 6, 2023.
Mayor Keith A. James and City Commissioners approved a resolution on February 6, 2023 to seek the federal funds, part of a $500 billion program to help cities with more than 100,000 residents. The $8.1 million grant was the largest of three grants in South Florida. The City will add about $2 million in matching funds to bring the total to about $10.2 million. The goal is to make major and minor improvements to four under-served neighborhoods and areas.
The funds will go toward:
Carver Neighborhood Improvements: This includes sidewalk construction, signage and pavement markings, pedestrian lighting, utility work, minor signal work, widening, minor landscaping, stormwater improvements, as well as milling and resurfacing to incorporate conventional bicycle lanes and traffic calming on 7th Street, 8th Street, 9th Street, 10th Street, 11th Street, and Windsor Avenue.
Twin Lakes Neighborhood Improvements: The funding will include sidewalk construction, signage and pavement markings, utility work, stormwater improvements, minor landscaping improvements (root pruning), milling and resurfacing and traffic calming on Abraham Avenue, 10th Street, and Booker Avenue.
Roosevelt Estates Neighborhood Improvements:
These proposed projects include sidewalk construction, signage and pavement markings, utility work, stormwater improvements, road re-construction, as well as milling and resurfacing and traffic calming on 8th Street, 9th Street, 9th Court, 10th Street, 11th Street, 11th Court, and Handy Avenue. Additionally, repurposing Palm Beach Lakes Service Road to be a "complete street" from the Golf Canal to North Australian Avenue is part of the enhancements for this area, including stormwater, sanitary sewer, and incidental water improvements.
Golf Avenue Pedestrian Improvements:
These improvements include: construction of ADA-compliant ramps and sidewalks and improvements to the existing
pedestrian bridge over the Golf Canal (Westward Park). The intersection improvements will include enhanced pedestrian crosswalks (colored textured asphalt) and the appropriate striping; as well as roadway reconstruction of Golf Avenue and utility work as needed (drainage, sanitary sewer replacement/lining and water main replacement).