Small Business Grants

Algiers Ferry Terminal to undergo major renovation soon [Video]
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Algiers Ferry Terminal to undergo major renovation soon [Video]

Since first opening in the late 1970s, the Algiers ferry terminal is set to get a major upgrade, and construction is scheduled to begin before the end of the year.According to the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority, the finalized designs for the terminal are nearly complete. The goal is for the terminal to be a transportation location and a community hub.Plans for the Algiers Ferry Terminal include a renovated two-story building, public facilities, ADA-compliant entryways, and more.”I would love the improvements,” one commuter said. “When you have to use the restroom and things like that. With the building not being open, we can’t use the restroom.””Coffee shops and stuff like that (would) make a big improvement of it, but we really need this,” another commuter said, who rides the ferry daily.RTA has been working on this as a total overhaul and more than just a re-design of the building.According to Lona Hankins, RTA CEO, the agency is spending $9.7 million in federal grants and a match from the state of Louisiana.”Additionally, the ramp onto the ferry will be reimagined,” Hankins said.”It was for cars, it clanks, and it’s really loud. So we’re gonna remove that feature hopefully such that it has (a) grate,” she explained.The walk onto the ferry will be a new experience with a covered, weather-proof walkway and more accessibility for people with disabilities.Plans for the interior of the terminal include public restrooms, community meeting rooms, cafe-style shops and more.”Accessibility is really key, so what you will see is this entranceway redesigned and revamped such that if you are special needs, you’re not coming down the sideways in a separate entrance. You can enjoy the main entrance,” Hankins said.For the commuters who depend on the ferry daily, renovations and redesigns are welcomed news.The first community meeting is set for Saturday, Nov. 16, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the ferry terminal.Terminal construction is scheduled to begin in early 2025.

Stormwater project approved in St. Albans to help keep Lake Champlain clean [Video]
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Stormwater project approved in St. Albans to help keep Lake Champlain clean [Video]

On Tuesday, voters in St. Albans helped take a crucial step toward securing a greener future.”Water quality, especially as you get closer to the lake in St. Albans Bay, is a critical issue in the community,” said Chip Sawyer, the director of planning and development in the city.Sawyer spearheaded the Lemnah Drive Stormwater Project. Voters approved the measure, giving the city the green light to kickstart the project.”We found some grant funding that will cover half of the cost, but we needed the bond and the debt to fund the other half of the project that will be covered by our stormwater utility,” Sawyer said.That cost is $1.25 million.Half of it will be going toward the gravel wetland on Lemnah Drive, which will help slow stormwater down when it rains and will remove phosphorus, cyanobacteria and other nutrients that would harm the lake.The other $500,000 will pay for a new vacuum truck that allows crews to clean out basins and pump water for system repairs.The money the city does not have, will be coming out of the annual storm water utility fee which community members are already paying for so they will not be seeing a difference in their next bill.”We can’t wait any longer; we need to continue to invest resources and protect the lake now,” said Lake Champlain Basin Program’s Eric Howe.Howe said phosphorus levels are running high in the city. Those levels are higher than they should be, and not just during the warmer months.”The work that the city of St. Albans is doing and is going to do in the future is critical,” Howe said.He said the city is in the midst of a perfect storm, with an increase in development around Lake Champlain. With intense storms and flooding, and the arrival of new invasive species, it is more important than ever to reduce the amount of pollution in the lake. Howe said he hopes other communities will take these concerns seriously, as the city is doing with this project.”The more work that the rest of our communities across the Lake Champlain Basin can do to reduce phosphorus from their particular areas of the watershed will collectively help all of us working and enjoying Lake Champlain to meet our phosphorus goals,” Howe said.The project should be started and completed next year.