HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania will create green jobs, relieve traffic congestion and make it easier for students to walk and bike to school with the investment of $76 million in 80 transportation projects, announced Gov. Edward G. Rendell.
“PennDOT’s investments will help us weather the current economic storm and make lasting community improvements for future generations,” Rendell said. “These investments will stimulate the economy by putting people to work creating sustainable communities that will improve our quality of life and send a clear message that Pennsylvania is a great place to live and work.
“Investments in smart transportation and creating safe routes to schools offer travel options that help reduce reliance on fossil fuels. By building more rational connections within communities we can reduce vehicle use and attract pedestrians and bicyclists. These small steps will help Pennsylvania and the nation combat climate change and reduce reliance on imported fuels,” the governor said.
The Department of Transportation is providing $59.2 million for 50 Smart Transportation-related projects and $16.8 million for 30 Safe Routes to School projects that will improve safety and encourage walking and biking-friendly improvements.
Regionally, PennDOT will invest $14.8 million in the Greater Pittsburgh region; $18.5 million in the Greater Philadelphia region; $17.5 million in the Susquehanna Valley; $10.6 million in the Northwestern region; $5.5 million in the Lehigh Valley; $5 million in the Northeast; and $4 million in the Central region.
Smart transportation initiatives improve communities by linking transportation investments to local land use planning and decision making. The Pennsylvania Community Transportation Initiative, or PCTI, is intended to fund planning and construction projects that demonstrate creative and efficient ways of addressing various transportation challenges through strong local partnerships and with careful consideration of community goals.
“Smart transportation is the way we all must be thinking,” said PennDOT Secretary Allen D. Biehler, P.E. “We are working toward real change. We are closely examining costs, accommodating all modes of travel, leveraging and preserving our existing infrastructure, enhancing local street networks, building towns rather than inviting sprawl, planning and designing with thoughtful consideration of community context, and working with local governments.”
PennDOT received more than 400 applications from cities, boroughs, townships, Metropolitan and Rural Planning Organizations, transit agencies and advocacy groups requesting more than $600 million. The list of successful candidate projects include planning and construction projects that focus on downtown revitalization efforts, local street connections, multi-use trails, traffic calming and transit-oriented development studies, among others.
“This overwhelming response tells us communities across Pennsylvania are anxious to work with us to use a better, more affordable approach for addressing our transportation challenges,” Biehler said. “That is gratifying and encouraging as we struggle to meet tremendous demand with very limited resources.”
“Land use and transportation are intrinsically linked,” said Judy Schwank, president of 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania, a group which advocates for sustainability and Smart Transportation approaches, including creation of the PCTI program. “How we lay out our roadways and transit infrastructure establishes the types and patterns of development that would likely occur in our communities. At the same time, land use patterns dictate the transportation needs of a place. Simply focusing on the supply side of the equation — building more and wider roads — is not an approach we can afford. We need to look at the demand side of our transportation needs and encourage more sustainable land development patterns.”
PCTI is a small portion of PennDOT’s new way of doing business. The department has started to implement various other policy changes to advance smart transportation including streamlining the process of how PennDOT projects are delivered, as well as, earlier and more effective coordination with municipalities and developers to preserve and enhance mobility as our communities grow. PennDOT has also developed an award-winning Smart Transportation Guidebook that offers a broader range of solutions to balance the unique characteristics of the varying community types across Pennsylvania with transportation improvements.
This is the first award of federal funds specifically set aside for Safe Routes to Schools to encourage and enable students in kindergarten through eighth grade to walk or bike to school. Projects receiving funding are those that best address the “Five ‘E’s of Safe Routes to School,” including education, encouragement, enforcement, evaluation and engineering.
The Federal Safe Routes to School initiative, included in the federal transportation bill — Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users, or SAFETEA-LU — authorizes federal programs for highways, highway safety, and transit from 2005 through 2009.
Projects announced today were reviewed by Metropolitan and Rural Planning Organizations, the Federal Highway Administration, PennDOT district and central offices, the state departments of Conservation and Natural Resources, Health, and Education, and the Pennsylvania Advocates for Nutrition and Activity.
For more information on the Pennsylvania Community Transportation Initiative and Smart Transportation, visit the Smart Transportation Web site.
EDITOR’S NOTE: A regional breakdown of the Pennsylvania Community Transportation Initiative and Safe Routes to Schools funding follows.
• Greater Philadelphia region — $18.5 million
• Susquehanna Valley — $17.5 million
• Greater Pittsburgh region — $14.8 million
• Northwestern region — $10.6 million
• Lehigh Valley — $5.5 million
• Northeast — $5 million
• Central region — $4 million
Pennsylvania Community Transportation Initiative
and Safe Routes to Schools Projects
GREATER PITTSBURGH REGION ($14.8 million)
PCTI funding — $11,768,465
Safe Routes to School funding — $3,056,548
Allegheny County PCTI
• Oakland Transportation Management Association and Carnegie Mellon University will receive $150,000 to study methods for improving walkability, safety and multi-modal access along the Forbes Avenue and Fifth Avenue corridors.
• Allegheny County Public Works Department will receive $500,000 to develop a safe network of trails for pedestrians and bicyclists in Allegheny County’s North Park.
• Point Park University will receive $3,950,000 to install corridor upgrades and enhancements to Wood Street corridor and the intersections of Boulevard of the Allies and Third Avenue.
• All Allegheny County Economic Development will receive $300,000 to study ways to ensure that walking and biking can become an integral part of getting around Allegheny County.
• Carnegie Mellon University will receive $30,000 to create an online collaborative transportation planning network.
Allegheny County Safe Routes to School
• Moon Area School District will receive $70,096 to install sidewalks along Hassam Road to connect J. H. Brooks Elementary School to nearby residential areas, as well as sidewalks along Beaver Grade Road.
• Munhall Borough will receive $781,698 to restore sidewalks, curbs and crosswalks that are in deteriorating condition and to construct new sidewalks, curbs and handicap ramps along Main Street, Charles Street, Charles Street Extension and Lea Street.
Beaver County PCTI
• Beaver County Transit Authority will receive $1,800,000 to install a roundabout for a 6-legged intersection, with intermodal components that will result in operational cost savings to the transit authority.
Beaver County Safe Routes to School
• Center Township will receive $967,309 to install speed humps, warning signs, pavement markings and sidewalks along the eastern side of Poplar Drive to increase access to Center Area Middle School, Todd Lane Elementary, and the K-2 Primary Center.
Fayette County PCTI
• Redevelopment Authority of the County of Fayette will receive $1,920,000 to improve the Route 381 corridor through Ohiopyle State Park and Borough.
Greene County Safe Routes to School
• Waynesburg Borough will receive $442,500 to construct a walking and biking path from Margaret Bell Miller Middle School to Second Avenue.
Indiana County PCTI
• Blairsville Borough will receive $3,118,465 to install infrastructure improvements, including bicycle and pedestrian improvements, to Blairsville Diamond Square and Market Street.
Indiana County Safe Routes to School
• Homer City Borough will receive $284,945 to improve crosswalks, sidewalks and curbing at various locations on Main Street that directly benefits students of the Homer Center Elementary School.
Westmoreland County Safe Routes to School
• The Borough of Scottdale will receive $510,000 to create an off-street pedestrian-bicycle facility on Grove Street, which leads to the Southmoreland Elementary School and Southmoreland Middle School campus.
CENTRAL REGION ($4 million)
PCTI funding — $3,977,200
Blair County PCTI
• City of Altoona will receive $300,000 to install bike and pedestrian amenities that connect the downtown to the Penn State Altoona campus.
Centre County PCTI
• Centre County MPO, in conjunction with North Central RPO, will receive $100,000 to study potential park and ride lots in the Moshannon Valley to provide commuter service to neighboring communities.
• Ferguson Township will receive $2,970,000 to install a collector road between two arterial roads serving travelers within a proposed traditional neighborhood development that includes a highly connected local street grid.
Jefferson County PCTI
• Punxsutawney Borough will receive $607,200 to upgrade the local transportation network in the downtown area to better complement the intermodal Punxsutawney Transit Facility.
GREATER PHILADELPHIA ($18.5 million)
PCTI funding — $14,293,827
Safe Routes to School funding — $4,224,462
Bucks County PCTI
• Newtown Borough will receive $30,000 to create and implement design standards that encourage new developments to incorporate features to make walking and bicycling more viable modes of transportation.
• Chalfont Borough will receive $463,405 to install pedestrian safety improvements with connections to an elementary and middle school, the community and transit.
Bucks County Safe Routes to School
• Chalfont Borough will receive $719,734 to install crosswalks, curbing, and sidewalks along Route 202, spanning two municipalities and benefiting one elementary school and one middle school.
Chester County PCTI
• New Garden Township will receive $200,000 to study the Baltimore Pike and Newark Road corridors to develop a sound traffic improvement and access management plan in preparation for future development pressures along the corridor.
• Borough of South Coatesville will receive $50,000 to study the feasibility of a multi-use trail along Brandywine Creek, First Avenue and Modena Road.
• West Bradford Township will receive $2,000,000 to install pedestrian and roadside improvements to create a walkable, mixed-use community corridor.
Chester and Montgomery counties PCTI
• Montgomery County will receive $1,775,000 to reduce the width of Hanover Street vehicle lanes in Pottstown and North Coventry Township in order to have room to install bike lanes, parking, and a multi-use trail from River Road to High Street.
Delaware County PCTI
• Borough of Millbourne will receive $35,000 to plan for multi-modal transportation improvements near the Millbourne train station.
Delaware County Safe Routes to School
• The Borough of Swarthmore will receive $662,270 for safety and accessibility upgrades to the Princeton Avenue underpass, the main pedestrian link between the southern portion of the borough and the local elementary school.
• Nether Providence Township will receive $304,500 to install sidewalk and curbing along the north side of Wallingford Avenue, which will create a safer route to Wallingford Elementary School.
• Upper Darby Township will receive $242,893 to construct sidewalks, curb cuts, and other improvements to provide a safer route leading to the Aronimink Elementary School on Bond Avenue.
Montgomery County PCTI
• Abington Township will receive $275,000 to plan for transit-oriented development at the Noble Train station.
• Lower Merion Township will receive $350,000 to construct bicycle and pedestrian improvements from Cynwyd station to the Cynwyd trail.
• Borough of Lansdale will receive $3,500,000 to improve traffic circulation within the Borough by rehabilitating segments of Wood and Vine Streets.
• Cheltenham Township will receive $1,400,000 to construct traffic calming and pedestrian improvements to provide intermodal connectivity in a high density area.
Montgomery County Safe Routes to School
• The Borough of Pottstown will receive $224,649 for sidewalk rehabilitation, updated and new signage, and pavement markings.
• Upper Gwynedd Township will receive $1,069,977 to install curbing, sidewalk and traffic calming measures within a half mile radius of the St. Rose of Lima and North Wales Elementary Schools on West Prospect, Washington, Second, Swarley, Summit, Pennsylvania, Fairfield, Highland and Main Streets.
Philadelphia PCTI
• City of Philadelphia will receive $2,480,000 to reconstruct sidewalks and provide pedestrian enhancements and lighting along 10th and Berks Streets past the Temple Regional Rail station to the corner of Germantown Avenue.
• City of Philadelphia will receive $1,735,422 to improve pedestrian safety and provide traffic calming in the Chinatown neighborhood along and around Vine Street between 9th and 11th Streets.
Philadelphia Safe Routes to School
• The School District of Philadelphia will receive $1,000,439 to improve walking routes in the 37 District K-8 schools to increase safety for students who walk or bike to school.
SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY ($17.5 million)
PCTI funding — $12,588,000
Safe Routes to School funding — $4,942,275
Adams County PCTI
• Mount Joy Township will receive $30,000 to plan for future commercial and residential growth in a manner consistent with the principles of Smart Transportation.
• Borough of Gettysburg will receive $2,500,000 to install streetscape improvements to Gettysburg’s Steinwehr Avenue and intersecting primary streets.
Adams County Safe Routes to School
• New Oxford Borough will receive $37,700 to install a school zone with flashing signals, approach signs and a crosswalk along Berlin Road in New Oxford Borough and New Oxford Township to serve New Oxford Elementary and Middle Schools in the Conewago Valley School District.
Cumberland County PCTI
• Borough of Carlisle will receive $2,826,000 to install multi-modal improvements in Downtown Carlisle to enhance safety and mobility.
Cumberland County Safe Routes to School
• The Borough of Mechanicsburg will receive $998,483 to repair and construct new sidewalks, improve and add new crosswalks, and manage storm water runoff to address a barrier to walkers at Broad and Keller Streets.
• The Borough of Newville will receive $302,905 to enhance pedestrian accessibility to the Newville Elementary School.
Lancaster County PCTI
• Red Rose Transit Authority will receive $2,000,000 to expand an existing transit terminal and partner with a private entity to build transit-oriented development that will increase transit ridership and generate operating revenue for the authority.
• Mount Joy Township will receive $292,000 for regional traffic synchronization and pedestrian improvements along the Elizabethtown regional corridor.
Lancaster County Safe Routes to School
• The Borough of Columbia will receive $1,033,055 to add signs, sidewalk, and curbing along Ironville Pike, enhancing the safety, mobility and accessibility for students who travel this route to the borough’s three public schools.
Lebanon County PCTI
• Lebanon County MPO will receive $660,000 to construct a park and ride facility that will provide more commuter options in the region.
Lebanon County Safe Routes to School
• Jonestown Borough will receive $200,000 to construct sidewalks on the west side of South Lancaster Street that will enhance pedestrian access to Jonestown Elementary School.
• The City of Lebanon will receive $660,250 to replace sidewalks and curbs in areas to enhance the safety, mobility and accessibility for students who travel to the City’s schools.
Northumberland, Snyder and Union counties PCTI
• SEDA-Council of Governments will receive $125,000 to study and develop design options for the Lake Augusta corridor to alleviate congestion, improve safety and accommodate multiple modes of transportation.
Schuylkill County Safe Routes to School
• The Borough of Orwigsburg will receive $303,985 to construct sidewalks and curbing on Lawrence and Red Dale Road between East Market Street and Blue Mountain Elementary East.
Snyder County Safe Routes to School
• Selinsgrove Area School District will receive $794,535 to install sidewalks, crosswalks, and signs, and bike racks around the school campus to improve pedestrian safety.
Union County PCTI
• Lewisburg Area Recreational Authority will receive $3,700,000 to construct a 10-mile bicycle and pedestrian trail connecting the County’s two largest communities of Lewisburg and Mifflinburg.
• Union County will receive $220,000 to develop a corridor master plan for US Route 15 between the Beagle Club/River Road intersection and William Penn Drive.
Union County Safe Routes to School
• The Borough of Mifflinburg will receive $371,462 to construct sidewalks, curbs, curb cuts crosswalks and upgrade a traffic signal to provide safe pedestrian traffic routes to the schools.
York County PCTI
• Rabbit transit will receive $100,000 to study locations for Park and Ride lots to facilitate use of rabbittransit express bus service.
• York County Planning Commission will receive $100,000 to study sound access management strategies along the US Route 30 corridor in Jackson and Paradise Townships.
• Felton Borough will receive $35,000 to study traffic calming and connectivity options along Main Street in Felton Borough.
York County Safe Routes to School
• Wrightsville Borough will receive $239,900 to install a flashing signal and signage at a crosswalk on Hellam Street, and construct sidewalk along Orange, Second and Third Streets.
NORTHWESTERN ($10.6 million)
PCTI funding — $9,340,000
Safe Routes to School funding — $1,296,568
Cameron, Clearfield, Elk, Jefferson, McKean and Potter counties PCTI
• North Central RPO will receive $285,000 to identify existing and planned land uses surrounding the region’s recently developed core system, and to locate current and planned investments in water, sewer and industrial development.
Erie County PCTI
• City of Erie will receive $3,350,000 to install pedestrian safety improvements as part of the comprehensive downtown neighborhood redevelopment of Union Square.
• Erie-Western PA Port Authority will receive $5,000,000 to implement a broad mobility initiative that includes roadway improvements to enhance the development potential along the roadway, electronic messaging kiosks, and transit parking anchors.
• Erie-Western PA Port Authority will receive $300,000 to plan business investment strategies for the Port of Erie to receive and distribute freight from Nova Scotia.
McKean County Safe Routes to School
• The City of Bradford will receive $911,268 to replace sidewalks and curbs on North Center Street from Barbour Street to School Street; on School Street from Interstate Parkway to Pearl Street; and on Pearl Street from School Street to West Washington Street.
Mercer County PCTI
• Shenango Valley MPO will receive $200,000 to study the US Route 19 Corridor, focusing on signal upgrades and improvements to make the community more pedestrian friendly.
Venango County PCTI
• City of Oil City will receive $205,000 to conduct a Smart Transportation study of US Route 62 through Oil City’s southside business district to recommend infrastructure improvements and land use ordinance modifications.
Venango County Safe Routes to School
• Utica Borough will receive $385,300 to replace and install sidewalks through the borough to encourage students to walk and bike to school.
LEHIGH VALLEY ($5.5 million)
PCTI funding — $5,530,500
Lehigh County PCTI
• City of Allentown will receive $300,000 to study alternatives for enhancing the local network along the Lehigh River waterfront, while also planning for pedestrian and safety improvements.
Northampton County PCTI
• City of Easton will receive $3,500,000 to provide traffic calming and pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements along Larry Holmes Drive.
• City of Bethlehem will receive $1,640,000 to complete components of the South Bethlehem Greenway, which includes multi-modal and “green” transportation connections through a dense area, as well as the reuse of an abandoned railway.
• Hellertown Borough will receive $90,500 to study a multimodal network of transportation improvements to include pedestrian, bicycle and transit routes.
NORTHEAST ($5 million)
PCTI funding — $1,787,000
Safe Routes to School funding — $3,261,233
Bradford and Tioga counties PCTI
• Northern Tier RPO will receive $1,200,000 to install mobility and safety improvements to ten intersections along corridors in Wellsboro, Mansfield, Richmond Township and Athens Township.
Bradford County Safe Routes to School
• Towanda Area School District will receive $364,853 to extend sidewalks from the elementary school to the high school through a residential area, which will create a safer way for students to walk to and from school.
Luzerne County Safe Routes to School
• Hazleton Area School District will receive $816,071 for curb and sidewalk installation and repair, traffic signals and signs with lights, speed feedback signs, crosswalks and traffic calming devices.
• West Wyoming Borough will receive $1,146,349 to replace sidewalks, aprons and curbs, accessible ramps and crosswalks, and safety signage along Eighth Street, Shoemaker Avenue, Tenth Street, Erie Street and Memorial Street.
Lycoming County PCTI
• Lycoming County will receive $427,000 to extend the Pine Creek trail through the Borough of Jersey Shore and provide a linkage to the Susquehanna Riverfront.
Lycoming County Safe Routes to School
• Williamsport Area School District will receive $709,015 to enhance pedestrian infrastructure around four elementary schools in Williamsport that will enable a Walking School Bus Program and make connections to the Susquehanna Health’s Pathway to Health Project.
Pike County PCTI
• Lehman Township will receive $160,000 to study and update local land use ordinances to proactively plan for new development and preserve community context.
Wyoming County Safe Routes to School
• Factoryville Borough will receive $224,945 to install new sidewalks, signs, crosswalks and curbs along a student walking path to Lackawanna Trail Elementary Center.