More than $6 million in grants to 27 communities around the state have been announced by the Michigan Shared Streets and Spaces Grant Program, and there are some recipients here in Southwest Michigan.

The city of Hartford has been awarded a $200,000 grant for a sidewalk project. City Manager Nicol Brown told us more.

“What we were really focusing on was the Redwood Elementary School that we have here, providing a safe pathway or a safe walk to school,” Brown said. “I’ll be along Center Street to north side of 60th Avenue.”

Brown says this will serve a nearby mobile home park and some apartments. The total project cost will be $276,000 and the work could start next year.

Also announced this week was a $200,000 grant for the city of Benton Harbor to improve sidewalks along Empire Avenue, and $158,000 for the city of Bridgman to develop an empty parking lot next to its Bridgman Courtyard.