Norwalk’s Martin Luther King Jr. Corridor: A “Transformational” Grant

The Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard corridor in Norwalk is the main connector in the city, helping link major parts of the city. The boulevard itself is a four-lane thoroughfare, but oftentimes cars and trucks race by much quicker, while residents and visitors walking to some of its major hubs, such as the train station, find it challenging to navigate. 

In addition, the area around the boulevard sits in a unique position in the city. It’s an area that’s seen massive development around the train station, but also is home to some of the city’s most diverse and economically challenged neighborhoods.

The South Norwalk, Springwood, and Woodward neighborhoods all surround the corridor, according to data from the Norwalk ACTS’ Neighborhoods at a Glance dashboard. More than 11,000 people—more than 10% of the city—live in those three neighborhoods. These three neighborhoods are also in the top 5 of areas with the most poverty in the city—with a 10.3% poverty rate in Woodward, 7.8% in South Norwalk, and 7.5% in Springwood. 

That’s part of why in 2019 the area was selected as one of three MLK corridors in the state, as part of a MLK Corridors initiative, which found that across the country streets and neighborhoods named after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had higher poverty and crime rates. 

“All throughout the country, there’s been concern about Martin Luther King Boulevards, that when they’re named after this great man, they tend not to take care of them and they tend to fall into a state of disrepair,” Rilling said. “Well we’re going to change that.” 

In 2021, the corridor received an initial $3 million investment from the state, which officials said helped lead them to receive a $14 million federal RAISE grant to continue improving the area..

Senator Chris Murphy called the federal grant “transformational.” 

“The reality is that there are many people in the state who can’t afford vehicles, there are a lot of people in the state who walk to work everyday, but there are also a growing number of people who don’t want to drive to work every day, who want to live in a community where their home is within walking distance of either their workplace or the transit center that they go to to get to work,” Murphy said. 

He said that they “want Norwalk to be a model community where if you choose to, you can come and live here in a way where you don’t have to get into a car. We have a chance with this grant to really make Norwalk a draw for young professionals in particular.”

The grant comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program. Norwalk’s was one of 148 projects across the country to receive a grant through the program. 

“We will see a transformation in what was essentially a highway built into the middle of the city turn into an urban boulevard that is going to offer the city the first protected bike lane,” said Jim Travers, the city’s director of Transportation, Mobility, and Parking. “We’ll have connected sidewalks that’ll bring people to employment.”

Senator Richard Blumenthal emphasized that this project would make the lives of residents safer and help them get around easier.

“This one came to the top because it is so worthwhile—we are finishing one of the deadliest years for pedestrians and bicyclists ever in our history,” he said, calling it a “community-centered idea of transportation” and a more “humane” roadway design that will help make it easier and safer, particularly for pedestrian and bicyclists.

Congressman Jim Himes said that this project was one of a few ongoing in Norwalk that aim to better connect the city to make it easier and safer for residents to get around.

“This is probably the third or fourth time we’ve stood together to celebrate a transformative project,” Himes said. “We were just at Wall Street last week, it was a few months ago we were at the [Norwalk] River [Valley] Trail that will extend into Danbury. Norwalk is very much a city on the move.” 

Blumenthal and others cited the “economic boom” the funding will bring to the area that will benefit both current and new residents. 

“This is a really innovative, forward-looking proposal,” Murphy said. “I think this really has a chance to grow the attractiveness of Norwalk and South Norwalk, particularly for young professionals and young families who maybe want to live in a way that’s a little different that folks wanted to live 30, 40 years ago, and that’s a real testament to the vision of the folks who think about Norwalk’s economic development strategy.” 

Himes called Norwalk a city “on the move” that “is going to become a destination of choice for people who are going to take advantage of the economic vibrancy that exists down here in southwest Connecticut.”

“This part of Norwalk deserves this kind of transportation improvement,” Blumenthal said, adding that the project should start soon. “The good news is construction begins in August. This is not some far out in the future kind of project, it’s going to begin as soon as construction can in 2025.”