Harrisburg, Pa. — Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has announced that his administration will fund 58 highway, bridge, aviation, ports and bike and pedestrian projects in 37 counties using $49.6 million in funding from the Multimodal Transportation Fund, which provides grant funding to ensure that a safe and reliable system of transportation is available to all Pennsylvanians.
The program is intended to provide financial assistance to municipalities, councils of governments, businesses, economic development organizations, public transportation agencies and ports and rail freight entities to improve transportation infrastructure, according to a news release.
“Infrastructure is the backbone of Pennsylvania, and our Commonwealth’s progress has often been tied to our ability to complete major projects that spur economic growth and create real opportunity,” Shapiro said. “Investing in and improving our infrastructure is a commonsense way to spur economic development, create jobs, and help Pennsylvanians reach their destinations safely and efficiently.”
Reflecting PennDOT’s commitment to improving locally owned infrastructure, several of the projects will also help local governments address bridges and roadways in need of repair or replacement.
“Whether we’re making roadways more accessible to all modes of travel or creating new connections for businesses investing in our communities, transportation is integral to our quality of life,” saidPennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “These projects will bring long-lasting improvements across the state.”
The bipartisan budget Shapiro signed earlier this month includes increased transportation funding by reducing the Pennsylvania State Police’s reliance on the Motor License Fund, freeing up $125 million annually over the next four years to put those dollars directly into road and bridge projects.
Below is a list of 2023 awarded projects by county.
Allegheny County
- Borough of Thornburg — $152,000 to replace 492 feet of failing sidewalk and fence along Hamilton Road and to reinforce the hillside on which they are built. The new sidewalk and fence will provide safe passage and access to borough facilities and safeguard the park below.
- City of Pittsburgh — $1,792,800 to redesign and upgrade facilities at the complex intersection of Liberty Avenue and the Bloomfield Bridge to improve safety and efficiency for all transportation modes.
- Ingram Borough — $555,046 to implement traffic calming policies along Ingram Avenue and provide improvements for alternative modes of transportation, including full pavement restoration, a bike lane, a raised pedestrian crosswalk, and lane striping.
Bedford County
- Napier Township — $360,400 to rehabilitate the Hammer Road Bridge to remove the restrictive 3-ton weight limit.
Berks County
- South Heidelberg Township — $870,000 to extend Krick Lane to Wernersville Road to improve connectivity and reduce traffic congestion and to install a 4-way traffic light and turn lanes at the Krick Lane-Lincoln Drive intersection to reduce motor vehicle accidents.
Blair County
- City of Altoona — $584,183 to install 29, 150W-LED high-mast luminaires along the Juniata Gap shared Bike/Pedestrian Trail. The Project will create a reliable, connected, and safer active transportation experience for users of the Trail.
Bucks County:
- Township of Middletown — $300,000 for the implementation of comprehensive safety upgrades to several school zones, inclusive of more modern speed signs and remote-access controllers to improve school zone and crosswalk safety.
Butler County
- Slippery Rock Township — $790,000 to widen Kiester road by eliminating open ditches, installing stormwater piping and inlets, and adding new culverts and guardrail over two stream crossings where they currently do not exist.
Cambria County
- Middle Taylor Township — $330,000 for paving of four Township-owned roads, including Teeter Road, Cub Street, South Taft Street, and Duke Street.
- Summerhill Township — $329,889 for improvements to Shaft Road, including paving with base course and wearing course, installing guiderails, placing riprap at exit of cross pipes, final seeding and mulching, installing fence, increasing visibility at the intersection, and installing road signs.
Centre County
- Borough of State College — $78,991 to construct a new pedestrian bridge in Walnut Springs Park. The bridge provides an important transportation alternative to travel from the Borough of State College to College Township via the trail systems within the park.
Chester County
- Borough of Phoenixville — $849,775 to realign and reconstruct Mowere Road for safer vehicular travel lanes, sidewalks, and crosswalks for the Schuylkill River Trail. This project includes a new storm water management system for Mowere Road.
- East Whiteland Township — $1,236,308 to widen Route 30 to provide an eastbound right-turn lane and bike lane at the PA 352 intersection and install sidewalks, curb ramps, driveway aprons, bus pad, retaining walls, drainage facilities, signal modifications, and parking lot adjustments.
- West Bradford Township — $975,266 to replace the existing signalized intersection at Marshallton Thorndale Road and Poorhouse Road with a roundabout.
Clearfield County
- Clearfield County — $245,000 to provide local scour protection along four bridge foundations within the County’s bridge inventory in Bell Township, Curwensville Borough, Greenwood Township, and Union Township.
Columbia County
- Mifflin Township — $485,520 to replace the T-409 bridge, built in 1940 (reconstructed in 1982), which is exhibiting general structural deterioration and showing signs of failing weight-bearing capabilities.
Cumberland County
- Shippensburg Borough — $1 million to extend the existing Dykeman Road between Shippensburg Borough and Shippensburg Township to improve inter-municipal connectivity and relieve severe traffic congestion on U.S. Route 11 and adjacent streets in the borough’s downtown.
Dauphin County
- Township of South Hanover — $3 million to reconnect Hayshed and Red Top Roads to reduce accidents at Red Top Rd/SR 39; utilize existing signalized intersection at Hayshed Rd/SR 39; provide a safer route for emergency services; expand multimodal trail system; and provide connectivity to SR 39.
Delaware County
- East Lansdowne Borough — $318,690 to install 52 curb cut ramps and crosswalks along Emerson Avenue and all seven cross street intersections in the Borough.
- Upper Darby Township — $2,274,377 to undertake necessary improvements for the successful long-term operation of 69th Street and to further facilitate safe multimodal transportation along the street.
- PSA Penn Terminals — $1 million to replace 34 diesel prime movers with 34 all-electric prime movers and purchase 23 charging stations. The prime movers will help improve the eco-efficiency of terminal operations while maintaining the high safety and productivity.
Erie County
- Borough of Edinboro — $70,000 to repair all sidewalk sections throughout the Borough of Edinboro that need repair. The goal of the project is to improve pedestrian safety, especially for handicapped individuals.
- City of Erie — $500,000 to improve pedestrian facilities and upgrade 60-year-old traffic signals from 2nd to 5th Streets on State Street for increased safety along this increasingly busy section of downtown.
Fayette County
- City of Connellsville — $655,000 to repair a stone wall, built in the 1930s, that supports Wills Road, a main thoroughfare connecting the east end to downtown, heavily traveled by vehicles, school buses, and pedestrians.
- Perry Township — $284,316 to design and reconstruct a 370-foot retaining wall that serves as a bus stop for school-age children along Main Street that supports Arch Street. Deterioration of the existing wall has created a hazardous situation for vehicular traffic, children waiting for a school bus, and pedestrians.
Franklin County
- Borough of Greencastle — $41,307 for improvements to North Washington Street that will provide greater walkability, ADA access, roadway travel, protection of local landmarks, and mitigation of safety hazards presently existing on the deteriorating streetscape.
- WCN Properties, LP — $2 million to extend an existing roadway, Archer Drive, from its current terminus at Lighthouse Road to Overcash Road. This segment will improve local transportation safety and provide additional truck access in an industrial zone.
Greene County
- Greene County Board of Commissioners — $1,038,786 to replace a structurally deficient bridge (Bridge No.7) that has a sufficiency rating of 45.3 and is eligible by the Federal Highway Safety Administration for replacement.
Indiana County
- Burrell Township — $795,938 to resurface 7.24 miles of deteriorating roadways in the Township to stabilize and improve the roads system for improved mobility for walkers and bikers and vehicles.
Jefferson County
- Borough of Punxsutawney — $428,009 to demolish the existing cobblestone road, curb, and sidewalk on Dinsmore Avenue and install paving and ADA sidewalks.
Juniata County
- Milford Township — $1,538,462 to replace two structurally deficient and weight-restricted timber bridges on Sheesley Road with concrete box culverts. The bridges are 100 feet apart and are the only entrance for approximately 30 homes, farms, and a trucking company.
Lackawanna County
- Lackawanna County — $1,397,200 to replace a temporary bridge on Plank Road in Clifton Township, PA. This span and road also provide access to major U.S, and Pennsylvania road systems for work, school, emergency response, and recreational activities.
Lehigh County
- Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority — $940,000 to improve safety and accessibility by reconfiguring the existing terminal roadways that serve the Multimodal Transportation Center (MTC) and the Airport Terminal at ABE, to meet the latest design, safety, and capacity standards.
Luzerne County
- Fairview Township — $545,446 to replace the existing Dale Drive Bridge over Big Wapwallopen Creek. The existing bridge has been designated as structurally deficient and closed to all traffic. Replacing the bridge will allow the road to reopen.
- Geisinger System Services — $1,500,000 to improve the east and west entrances to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center and East Mountain Boulevard by constructing a 100-foot southbound turn lane into the emergency room driveway; lengthening the northbound turn lane into the emergency drive; installation of a traffic signal; and improvements to the southbound turn lane into the Main Entrance driveway.
- Mericle River Road, LLC — $1,885,311 for transportation improvements related to the development of a 138-acre business park, CenterPoint Commerce & Trade Park South, including a signal intersection, turning lanes, internal roadways, SR 2004 access road, road widening, and a bus transit shelter.
- Municipality of Kingston — $873,000 for the installation of new sidewalks and curbing on West Union Street, a primary gateway point to the Municipality of Kingston.
- Valley Crest Real Estate, LP — $914,554 for improvements to PennDOT rights-of-way impacted by commercial development of approximately two million square feet, the existing Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center, Mohegan Sun Casino and new commercial development on 62 acres, Valley Crest Commons.
McKean County
- Port Allegany Borough — $500,000 for the complete replacement of the Arnold Avenue bridge over Lillibridge Creek in Port Allegany. This bridge is vitally important as it sits approximately 125 feet from the Port Allegany High School and is the main transportation route for two schools.
Mercer County
- City of Hermitage — $350,000 to enhance trail connections and improve Lorenwood Drive in the area of Hermitage Athletics Complex / Hermitage Little League Complex, including a new trail head parking area, expanded trails and improvements to Lorenwood Drive.
Mifflin County
- Armagh Township — $556,923 to replace sidewalk and curbing along South Main Street in downtown Milroy to improve pedestrian access throughout town. The project includes pedestrian crossings, ADA ramps, street lighting, street trees and brick accent pavers.
Monroe County
- Mount Pocono Borough — $646,027 for improvements to Fork Street, include road excavation and resurfacing; converting angled public street parking to parallel parking; drainage improvements and a new concrete bus turnout lane.
Montgomery County
- High Properties — $1,103,458 to widen a section of PA 29 to provide two travel lanes in each direction, a continuous sidewalk and ADA accommodations at the Perkiomen Boulevard/PA 29 signalized intersection as part of a 320-unit mixed-use development.
Northampton County
- Bethlehem Township — $283,500 for an emergency preemption traffic signal at the intersection of 9th Street and Freemansburg Avenue (SR 2018) to provide safe access for vehicles leaving the Bethlehem Township Volunteer Fire Company firehouse.
Northumberland County
- Montandon Development Group, LLC — $574,530 for the construction of turning lanes and a traffic signal along the SR 45 corridor. The improvement will control traffic flows for vehicles entering and exiting an access road that will accommodate current/future commercial development.
Philadelphia County
- City of Philadelphia — $608,000 to improve bicycle, pedestrian, and transit infrastructure at the Woodland Avenue Trolley Portal. The proposed work is expected to improve safety and reliability for all roadway users.
- City of Philadelphia — $3,000,000 to upgrade a successful Slow Zone in the Fairhill Neighborhood in North Philadelphia. Funding will allow the city to convert interim traffic safety solutions into permanent improvements.
- Schuylkill River Development Corporation — $400,000 to acquire the land needed to extend the Schuylkill Banks trail approximately 3,400 feet south from the vicinity of 61st Street to Passyunk Avenue, thereby expanding a safe and reliable transportation system to more residents.
- Olde Yankee Terminal — $3,000,000 for the Schuylkill River Port Improvement Project which will install a new bulkhead at the Olde Yankee Terminal site to improve the dock’s efficiency for handling sand/aggregate cargoes needed for use in the region’s construction projects.
Pike County
- Pike County Commissioners — $517,176 to replace the structurally deficient bridge that carries Carton Hill Road over Taylor Creek located in Greene Township. This bridge is owned and maintained by Pike County and is located on a Township Road.
Tioga County
- Tioga County Board of Commissioners — $149,922 to remove railroad tracks, ties and signposts and repave and restore the road at six former railroad crossings in Tioga County. The rails currently act as an impediment to accessibility and multimodal transportation.
Union County
- Union County — $800,000 for a multi-municipal bridge replacement bundle for locally-owned structures that are between eight feet and 20 feet in length and are in poor condition. Bridges are located in New Berlin Borough and Hartley, Lewis, West Buffalo and White Deer Townships.
Washington County
- East Bethlehem Township — $777,570 to replace undersized storm sewers in poor condition along Crawford Road and Strawberry Street. The existing system is incapable of collecting and conveying the runoff, causing ponding along SR 88 N.
- North Strabane Township — $639,641 to widen McDowell Lane by 8 feet (4 feet per lane) to accommodate a marked, shared bike lane in both directions. This will provide multimodal access to McDowell Sports Complex to the numerous residential developments.
- Donora Dock LLC — $1,617,215 to rebuild the current dock wall at the Donora River Terminal, which is an integral component of the exchange of goods in the region.
Westmoreland County
- City of Arnold — $100,800 to improve the roadway surface of Moore Street to enhance travel for vehicles, pedestrians and bicycles. This will promote job creation and retention in the City of Arnold.
York County
- Newberry Township — $332,207 to replace the Pleasant Drive Bridge, which has fallen into such a state of disrepair that traffic has been limited to vehicles with a 5-ton maximum weight, restricting access and deliveries to nearby residents.
- Spring Garden Township — $774,924 to replace the Rathton Road Bridge, which requires immediate mitigation due to the advanced deterioration of the metal arch. The substructure will be replaced with a precast, reinforced concrete box culvert.
Linda Garner-Bunch has been in publishing for more than 30 years. You name it, Linda has written about it. She has served as an editor for a group of national do-it-yourself publications and has coordinated the real estate section of Arkansas’ only statewide newspaper, in addition to working on a variety of niche publications ranging from bridal magazines to high-school sports previews and everything in between. She is also an experienced photographer and copy editor who enjoys telling the stories of the “Knights of the Highway,” as she calls our nation’s truck drivers.
