The Superior Express -

The City of Superior applied for two grants, in August, from the Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED). The city was one of nine communities selected to receive a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Public Works (PW) funds and one of 14 to receive a CDBG Planning funds. Superior was awarded $435,000 PW grant fund and $53,000 planning grant funds.

Community walkability and pedestrian travel had been previously recognized as a community priority. The City of Superior completed a pedestrian transportation study in 2019. That study was the base and justification for the 2020 PW grant which will build or improve the pedestrian infrastructure along community selected routes. The anticipated project cost is $593,313 ($435,000 grant funds and a $153,313 local match).

During the 2020 sales tax educational process, recreational amenities and quality of life projects were a major focal point at community meetings. The City of Superior, with the planning grant funds, will undertake a recreational master plan study. This will identify, prioritize and program the city’s future recreational and quality of life projects. The plan will create a systematic approach to funding and building the improvements.

The planning study is projected to cost $65,500 ($53,000 grant funds and $12,500 local match).

Superior Mayor Chris Peterson said, “Grants such as these are how the City of Superior stretches each tax dollar to try and meet the expectations of the citizens of Superior. Citizen input from community meetings and needs assessment surveys over the past several years have been key to telling city officials which grants to pursue to best leverage our sales tax dollars.”