WASHINGTON Congress is set to approve $13.25 million in requests by Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) for economic development initiatives and infrastructure improvements in Rhode Island. The funding, part of the Transportation, Treasury and Housing and Urban Development (TTHUD) Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year (FY) 2006, provides money to help improve transportation infrastructure, enhance social services and education initiatives, and spur economic development. Reed stated, This funding is especially significant because it provides assistance for Rhode Islanders in key areas. It will help create jobs, create jobs, revitalize brownfields, and improve vital transportation infrastructure. I am proud to have secured funding that helps Rhode Islanders in such vital areas.South County Commuter Rail$10 millionThe bill contains $10 million for South County Commuter Rail. Reed authorized this project in the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA21) and SAFETEA-LU funding is in addition to $25 million that was authorized in the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21). The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) is continuing its work to extend the existing Providence to Boston commuter rail service to North Kingstown, Rhode Island, with stops at T.F. Green Airport and Wickford Junction. This service will help relieve increasing congestion on the I-95/Route 1/Route 4 corridor, located in the fastest growing region of the state. In addition, the project will improve air quality and provide a much needed intermodal connection at T.F. Green Airport. Requested FY 2006 funds will be used for design, right-of-way acquisition, equipment procurement, and construction.Reed worked with Senator Chafee to secure funding.For more information contact: Jim Capaldi, Director, RIDOT, (401) 222-2481Seniors Helping Others volunteer center South Kingstown $300,000The bill allocates $300,000 to assist Seniors Helping Others (SHO) acquire and renovate a new volunteer center in South Kingstown. Since 1981, SHO has provided programs to recruit, train, place, and support senior volunteers and to address the needs of elderly and at-risk citizens in Washington County and Jamestown. The organization has grown from 38 senior volunteers in 1983 to nearly 800. SHO provides a variety of programs to help elderly residents maintain their independence and to reduce isolation in the senior community. Programs include Meals on Wheels delivery, visits to homebound seniors, a Caregiver program, and transportation to doctor appointments. While providing these services over the last 24 years, SHO has never had a permanent location access to volunteer services.For more information contact: Debra Tanner, Executive Director (401) 789-2362Hartford Avenue Improvements to Aid Pocasset River Drainage-Johnston$1 million The bill contains $1 million to build a new closed drainage system and detention basin with a new outfall to the Pocasset River. The proposed storm water facility is approximately 1.5 acres and contains and extended detention shallow wetland. The basin has a storage capacity to accommodate a 100-year storm event.For more information contact: Jim Capaldi, Director, RIDOT, (401) 222-2481Pawtucket Day Child Development Center renovation and expansion$300,000The bill allocates $300,000 to support the expansion and renovation of the Pawtucket Day Child Development Center. The expanded Center will be a 4,500 square foot community counseling and service center.Pawtucket Day provides comprehensive child care and social services to families living or working in Pawtucket, Central Falls, and Providence and is located in the Woodlawn neighborhood of Pawtucket. In addition to providing high quality child care for children from 18 months old to 8 years-old, Pawtucket Day offers parenting skills classes, counseling, and health education services, and is developing new services for young teenagers. While Pawtucket Day strives to keep up with the social and educational needs of the children and families it serves, the facility itself is seriously outdated and overcrowded. For more information contact: Barbara Cavallaro, Executive Director, (401) 722-7000John E. Fogarty Center renovation and expansion North Providence$300,000The bill contains $300,000 for the John E. Fogarty Center in North Providence to renovate and expand its Steve N. Picillo Community Center. The Fogarty Center, established in 1952, provides services and programs for children and adults with developmental disabilities in the Greater Providence metropolitan area. The Centers intergenerational approach provides employment and residential programs for older adults, as well as the nationally accredited Alphabet Soup Child Care Program for children ages six months to five years. The federal funds will be used to renovate the Centers existing 9,500 square feet and add 6,000 square feet. More than 60% of the total square footage will be devoted to Alphabet Soup Child Care and after school programming space, with the remainder devoted to expansion of services for older adults with developmental disabilities. The expansion will allow the Alphabet Soup Program to double in size to serve more than 100 children each day, including children with special needs. The program will serve approximately 3040 infants and toddlers and 5060 preschoolers. A year-round after school program is also planned for over 25 elementary school students. For more information contact: Theodore Polak, Executive Director, (401) 353-7000Hamlet Avenue Mill Redevelopment - Woonsocket$200,000The bill allocates $200,000 to support the redevelopment of 17 acres along Hamlet Avenue in Woonsocket into light industrial, commercial, and office space, ultimately creating an estimated 750 permanent new jobsThe City of Woonsocket recently acquired the vacant or marginally utilized land, including several obsolete, turn-of-the-century mill structures, on the north side of Hamlet Avenue in downtown. A portion of the site is surrounded by a residential neighborhood that has been impacted by the appearance of the current rundown mills and the polluted condition of the soils. In addition to building demolition, the site will require extensive environmental cleanup and preparation so that parcels can be resold for economic development. The City of Woonsocket has received a brownfields survey grant from the Environmental Protection Agency. The project is immediately adjacent to the Blackstone River and the proposed Blackstone Valley Bikeway, which will be under construction in 2006. Earlier this year Reed secured $800,000 in partnership funds and $500,000 in construction funds for the preservation and revitalization of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor.For more information contact: Joel D. Matthews, Director of Planning and Development, (401) 767-9237Cranston Public Library - Arlington Branch$550,000The bill contains $550,000 to assist the Cranston Public Library in establishing a new branch library in the underserved Arlington area of the city. The program will target preschool children, elementary school children, teen services, English as a Second Language, and literacy. A Program/Community Room will allow the Library to conduct preschool story hours, homework help, book discussion groups, adult programming, and public meetings. The Rhode Island Family Literacy Initiative will expand into the facility to provide literacy and citizenship classes. The federal funds would be used to relocate a donated building and acquire equipment, purchase furnishings, and expand the Librarys collection of books, magazines, newspapers, nonprint materials, and electronic databases.Reed worked with Senator Chafee to secure funding.For more information contact: David Macksam, Library Director, (401) 943-9080