PennDOT’s press release from yesterday, April 20:
Governor Tom Wolf and PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian today announced the approval of funding for 64 projects to improve transportation alternatives and enhance mobility and public accessibility across the state, 43 of which are funded through the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).
“This is another example of how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is quickly helping Pennsylvanians,” Gov. Wolf said. “These projects will help make travel in these communities safer and healthier.”
The administration awarded $54.1 million through the Surface Transportation Block Grant program Set-Aside or Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside. Before the BIL’s passage, $18 million was available. The TA Set-Aside provides funding for projects and activities defined as transportation alternatives, including on- and off-road pedestrian and bicycle facilities, infrastructure projects for improving non-driver access to public transportation and enhanced mobility, community improvement activities, and environmental mitigation, trails that serve a transportation purpose, and safe routes to school projects.
“Transportation affects every aspect of our lives,” Gramian said. “We are pleased to bring so many important improvements to communities across Pennsylvania.”
The projects highlighted in green are the Circuit Trails projects and bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure projects are highlighted in blue. Given the costs, this combined with other funding will bring nearly 2 miles of trail to Southeastern Pennsylvania. This will create notable connectivity from Lansdale Borough northward to Hatfield Borough in Montgomery County which will result in 3+ miles of trail.
Bucks County
- Newtown Rail Trail: Bucks County Planning Commission: $850,000 to construct a 1.7-mile extension of the Newtown Rail Trail into Northampton Township, beginning at Bristol Road and continuing along the former Fox Chase-Newtown SEPTA rail line corridor to terminate at the Churchville Nature Center.
- Bike Hike: Doylestown Township: $1.4 million to add a structure-mounted barrier to the shoulder of the Limekiln Road bridge over Route 611 and develop a shared-use path along Shady Retreat Road and Burpee Road to create connections to three schools.
- Bucks County Transportation Management Association: $65,000 to enhance traffic safety education in grades K-8 by offering free assemblies and events to schools with guest speakers on pedestrian safety and distracted driving. (BIL)
Chester County
- Penn Township: $845,000 to install a 5-foot-wide sidewalk along the east side of Jenners Pond Road from the intersection of Baltimore Pike to the existing sidewalk to the south, and along Route 796 from the Shoppes at Jenners Village signalized intersection to the existing sidewalk at the intersection of Route 796 and Baltimore Pike. (BIL)
Delaware County
- 1.2 mile Shared Use Path: Chadds Ford Township: $1 million for Several pedestrian crossing and intersection improvements along Route 1, and a multi-use trail parallel to Route 1. The multi-use trail will proceed off-road parallel to North Creek Road to the Chadds Ford Historical Society parking lot, and at the intersection of Route 1 and South Creek Road the trail proceeds south along South Creek Road. (Project Design)
- Road Diet: Township of Upper Darby: $1.3 million to implement roadway and sidewalk improvements along Garrett Road such as ADA-curb ramps, bicycle lanes, and roadway restriping to support multimodal and pedestrian connectivity. (BIL)
- Nether Providence Township: $1 million to install a .25-mile sidewalk along Providence Road from Mother of Providence School to East Rose Valley Road. (BIL)
- Yeadon Borough: $1 million for the West Cobbs Creek Parkway to install landing strips improving water quality and providing traffic calming as well as ADAP-compliant cub cut ramps and crosswalk striping. A traffic signal would be redesigned and a bulbout installed at the W. Cobbs and MacDade intersection to improve pedestrian safety. (BIL)
Lancaster County
- Circuit Connection: Sadsbury Township: $1 million to construct a 3-mile segment of the Enola Low-Grade Trail on an abandoned rail corridor between Bart Township and the Chester County line. Includes grading and surfacing for a 10-foot wide stone/paved trail with 2-foot shoulders. Existing drainage facilities will be cleaned and replaced as needed, and there will be three at-grade road crossings of low-volume local roads and one trailhead.
Montgomery County
- Borough of Lansdale: $373,000 for the Liberty Bell Trail, a 10-foot wide shared-use trail including a stream crossing which will start near the 9th Street and Moyers Road intersection and run north to Tremont Drive and the borough’s northern border. The .75-mile off-road trail will link Lansdale’s northern residential neighborhoods with Wedgewood Park and Moyers Road Fields. (BIL)
- Hatfield Township: $910,000 for the Liberty Bell Trail, a 10-foot-wide shared-use path along approximately 1,500 feet extending from Orvilla Road. Sidewalk will be provided along Orvilla Road to connect with the existing sidewalk at Schwab Road and Tarrington Way, and a crossing for the rail line will be provided along Orvilla Road. (BIL)
- Greater Valley Forge Transportation Management Association: $230,000 for My School In Motion, an interactive program teaching middle school students pedestrian and bicycle safety laws. The program includes parent and teacher engagement, resources, two large events, and a walkability/bikeability audit program for students. (BIL)
- North Wales Borough: $770,000 to improve resident safety and accessibility by installing pedestrian facilities along Center Street from Route 2010 (Walnut Street) to Washington Avenue and along West Street from Shearer Street to Montgomery Avenue. (BIL)
Philadelphia
- State and Rhawn: $1 million for a streetscape, sidepath/trail, and intersection safety upgrade project which completes a major gap in the Philadelphia and Circuit trail network. Upon completion, trail users will connect to the Pennypack Trail and the East Coast Greenway, safely allowing passage from Northeast Philadelphia neighborhoods to the national East Coast Greenway (both completed portions and soon-to-be constructed portions).
- $1 million to replace painted pedestrian areas on Chestnut Street with concrete pedestrian islands to elevate pedestrian safety along the corridor and expand the project area west to 63rd Street.
- $540,000 to improve pedestrian and bicycle connections to the Navy Yard by installing the first phase of a shared-use sidepath along the western side of South Broad Street from FDR park to the Navy Yard.
- $1 million for Logan Square sidewalk modernization at the Swann Memorial Fountain, including updating eight outdated ADA ramps and replacing approximately 18,000 square feet of deteriorated concrete sidewalk and granite curb matching work surrounding the improved areas of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. (BIL)
- $450,000 for a project coordinator for a middle school pedestrian and bicycle safety curriculum including developing parent/caregiver materials, a bicycle and pedestrian safety learning e-module for students, creating conceptual design plans that create slow zones around schools, and other coordination.
Total funding for the Circuit Trails: $4.53 million
Total funding for bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure projects: $4.84 million