BENNINGTON — U.S. Rep. Peter Welch met with local officials Friday to formally announce a $500,000 earmark for a pedestrian underpass at one of the town's busiest intersections.

The town has been pursuing an underpass at the intersection of Route 7 and Kocher Drive for more than a decade, according to Bennington [Vermont] Town Manager Stuart A. Hurd. It has been laid out in the Bennington Town Plan and is part of a planned townwide pathway system that will link all parts of town for pedestrians and bikers.

Welch, a former member of the Vermont Senate and Senate Transportation Committee, credited the town for being persistent and pursuing the project for so long.

"I started in the Vermont Senate ... and you had a way of being persistent. I could run but never hide," Welch said.

The intersection currently has no sidewalks or signals for pedestrians. Route 7, a limited access highway, is a barrier to pedestrians attempting to move east or west on the north side of town. The proposed underpass would provide a the essential link to shopping centers and restaurants, according to town officials.

Select Board Vice Chairman John Zink, a former law enforcement officer, said the busy intersection has had several accidents, including fatalities.

"I think we've had one fatal situation and several near fatals and many, many close calls over the years. This will allow us to deal with that," Zink said.

Welch said he was happy to help secure the funding because it was such a safety concern for those traveling on foot.

"I think the need that you all identified with your excellent application is really quite critical to the safety of the people in your community," he said. "I guess in Bennington we all think that pedestrians ought to have an even chance at getting across the highway. When we get this constructed this will be in their favor."

The $500,000 federal appropriation, which requires a 20 percent local match, should be enough to complete the project, according to Hurd. However, state Rep. Timothy Corcoran II, D-Bennington, said the state's transportation budget is so stretched that state funds for the local match are not likely to be available.

Welch said he is happy to help communities in Vermont secure funding for worthy projects. Earmarks have become a hot topic in Washington, D.C., but Welch said legitimate projects should be funded.

"There's earmarks that are just rip-offs — the bridge to nowhere," Welch said. "That's criminal conduct, it's as simple as that."

"Most of the projects that I see are from communities. They reflect a consensus from the elected leadership in the community for things that are an urgent need."

The $500,000 will not be available until October, and the town must submit an application to claim the money in June. Bennington Planning Director Daniel Monks said the application is tedious, but will be completed.

"There's 100 pages of regulations you have to follow. I haven't gotten down to filling out the application yet," Monks said.