Kaptur Celebrates $1.1 Million Reconnecting Communities Award For Swan Creek and Junction NeighborhoodPress ReleaseJobs and the Economy

Washington, DC - Today, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) celebrated the announcement of $1,107,700 from the Department of Transportation for the Swan Creek Greenway Planning project. This new federal funding will support planning, design, and community engagement activities for a multi-use trail along Swan Creek in Toledo to reconnect the Junction neighborhood to Downtown Toledo. The construction of Interstate 75 in the 1960's displaced Junction residents and cut off the neighborhood from Downtown. This project's planning, design, and community engagement activities will advance the development of the proposed greenway, which has been identified as a priority in neighborhood planning efforts, and improve mobility and connectivity to jobs and economic opportunity, address environmental burdens, and improve quality of life for Junction residents.

"Today we are celebrating continued efforts to reconnect the Junction neighborhood to Downtown Toledo. Through enterprising efforts working alongside the Junction Coalition and ConnectToledo in partnership with the City of Toledo, we are continuing to bring vital funds home for Swan Creek redevelopment that will help to reconnect communities," said Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09). "With these efforts aimed at reconnecting neighborhoods, we are working to ensure Toledo's central city communities regain access to clean and healthy recreation, access to healthy foods at our Farmer's Market, and employment opportunities. Together, we are building on the work of past efforts to implement meaningful improvements within our neighborhoods, and I applaud the Junction Coalition, ConnecToledo, and Mayor Kapszukiewicz for their ingenuity. This funding, made possible by my work in congress, shows once again that our communities benefit when we access federal resources from legislation aimed at improving the quality of life in communities throughout our region of Northwest Ohio."

"This $1.1 Million grant from the Department of Transportation enables us to take a significant step toward realizing a vision for Swan Creek that is the product of extensive community planning, engagement, and collaboration," said Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz. "Identified as a priority in the Junction McClinton-Nunn Choice Neighborhoods Plan and Forward Toledo, this project builds on years of work to create a more connected, vibrant city. Working closely with the Junction Coalition and residents of the neighborhood, we are turning bold plans into tangible progress for the residents of Toledo."

"Junction Coalition is excited and ready to work on this wonderful opportunity," said Alicia Smith, Executive Director of the Junction Coalition. "We are thankful to our federal and local governmental officials for valuing the social impact of community engagement for reconnecting neighbors to our waterways and natural habitat. We look forward to the partnership and work that will enhance our lives and our environment.

"This is more good news for Downtown and our adjacent neighborhoods. This project was envisioned through a planning process in 2022 that ConnectToledo led in partnership with the Warehouse District Association, Metroparks Toledo, and the City of Toledo - A great example of what can happen when everyone is pulling in the same direction" said Paul Toth, CEO of ConnectToledo. "Hat's off to the City of Toledo's Grant Team as they continue their successful efforts in bringing Federal and State Grant funding to our community."

This new investment follows a $608,000 award from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation in November 2023 to the Junction Coalition for Swan Creek restoration and planning. Earlier in 2023 Congresswoman Kaptur announced other funding opportunities secured in partnership with the Junction Coalition, including a $600,000 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Child Lead Poisoning Prevention program grant award to help reduce lead poisoning in the Toledo community, and a $20 Million US Department of Transportation (USDOT) RAISE grant award to the City of Toledo to assist the city's "Connecting Toledo Neighborhoods to Opportunity" initiative to reconnect Downtown neighborhoods in Toledo and the nearby Junction neighborhood.

# # #