NORWAY — The Select Board agreed Thursday to send a letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation in hopes the state will secure a federal grant for the town’s Main Street and Downtown Feasibility Study.

The letter is in support of the the Maine Department of Transportation’s application for a the Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program grant. The program is intended to advance transportation infrastructure projects in rural and tribal communities by supporting development-phase activities for projects reasonably expected to be eligible for certain DOT credit and grant programs.

The board is being assisted in the process by former Town Manager Dennis Lajoie, who retired in April 2023 after six years but agreed to manage several projects the town had not completed.

According to the board’s letter, the project for Main Street “will improve safety and mobility for all modes of travel, revitalize the rural economy of Norway and the region with long-overdue investments to our downtown area and connections to schools, the hospital and recreational areas. In addition, this grant will contribute to the four seasons of economic activity in Norway as the gateway to western Maine.”

“This project will link neighborhoods along state Route 117 and 118 (Main Street) to essential services such as medical services and grocery shopping, schools, retail, recreational facilities and other services,” the letter states.

“By improving sidewalks, road surface conditions, parking configurations, and gateway treatments along rights of way that are safe and modern, the project will restore connectivity and further enhance the local and regional character of Norway’s rich history and small-town way of life in rural Maine. This project will also improve the transportation system to Maine DOT standards.”

The town’s match for the grant would cover part of the cost of the engineering study.

Lajoie said the town has already set aside money for the match.

Another project Lajoie is helping with is a five-year $1 million to $1.5 million road bond through Maine DOT. The top two road projects are Pikes Hill and Paris Street.

Lajoie also discussed Phase 2 of the Town Office upgrades. Those include new offices for the Police Department and a new community space at the municipal building on Danforth Street. The project has already received $850,000 from the federal government.

H.E. Callahan Construction Co. of Auburn was the lone bidder on the project, but the amount was higher than budgeted.

Lajoie said he would negotiate to lower the bid below the budgeted amount.

Lajoie is also project manager for the transformation of theNorway Opera House on Main Street.

In October 2024, the Select Board approved a $4,500 bid from Credere Associates of Westbrook to complete the required federal environmental reviews to identify and mitigate any issues ahead of any renovations.

Norway Downtown was awarded a $1.79 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development that will be funneled to the Norway Opera House Corp. to fulfill its mission of transforming the iconic 1894 brick building and clock tower into a fully functioning cultural center.

The town is acting as the responsible entity for Norway Downtown and the Norway Opera House Corp., which is required to obtain the grant.

The downtown edifice hasn’t been used for entertainment or performances since the 1980s when it housed a movie theater.

In other business, Fire Chief David Knox gave an update on problems with Engine 4. The town’s primary fire engine, due to its 2,500-gallon water capacity, has been out of service since a recent mutual aid call to Paris. The 2007 Ferrara firetruck was towed to Cummings North in Scarborough on Friday to have the engine evaluated, Knox said.

The board also approved a liquor license for the Mission Working Dog Gala fundraiser at Granite Ridge Estate on April 26.