Andover is building 2,000 feet of new sidewalk along Tewksbury Street in Ballardvale, the town's first project funded through the state's Complete Streets program.

The work, supported by nearly $500,000 in state grant funding, stretches between Yardley Road and Oak Street. Town Manager Andrew Flanagan announced the start of construction at the Select Board's Aug. 24 meeting.

"This is the first Complete Street project with $500K funding," Flanagan told the board.

The town said the new sidewalk will improve pedestrian access and connectivity along a key roadway in the Ballardvale neighborhood, according to a town news bulletin. The stretch of Tewksbury Street between Yardley Road and Oak Street currently lacks a continuous sidewalk.

According to the Conservation Commission's March 17 agenda, the project scope includes new granite curbs, curb ramps that meet federal accessibility standards under the Public Right-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG), regrading behind the sidewalk and changes to the existing drainage system. Some trees may need to be removed to build the accessible sidewalk. Flanagan separately told the Select Board the project includes ADA-compliant curbs and intersection accommodations.

Two town planning documents identified the sidewalk as a priority: Andover's Sidewalk Inventory and Pedestrian Master Plan, and the Complete Streets Prioritization Plan. Select Board member Melissa Danisch first noted receipt of the grant at the board's March 9 meeting.

The grant came through the MassDOT Complete Streets Funding Program, which launched in 2016 to help Massachusetts municipalities plan and build pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure. The program allows towns to apply for up to $1 million per application, according to MassDOT. Andover's award covers nearly half that cap.

The town's Department of Public Works filed a Request for Determination of Applicability with the Conservation Commission under the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act ahead of the March 17 public meeting. The filing cleared a regulatory step before construction could begin.

The town has not announced a completion date for the project or identified the contractor performing the work.