TRANSPORTATION

Programs

Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside Program

 $1.4 million Awarded for Pedestrian, Multimodal Projects

The Lehigh Valley Transportation Study (LVTS) June 16 approved more than $1.4 million in projects designed to improve safety and expand bicycle and pedestrian options across the region.

The money, awarded through the federally regulated Transportation Alternative Set-Aside (TASA) Program, covers a two-year period. The projects selected go towards the implementation of FutureLV: The Regional Plan and Walk/RollLV: Active Transportation Plan.  Specifically, the projects support equitable education and access to the Lehigh Valley’s transportation system.

“Expansion of healthy transportation options, centered in safety, air quality and congestion reduction projects that enhance bicycle, pedestrian, transit and ADA improvements are critical to the region’s success,” said Becky Bradley, LVTS Secretary and Lehigh Valley Planning Commission Executive Director.

The projects funded are:

  • Coalition for Appropriate Transportation (CAT): $154,036 for two years of programming that includes bicycle safety and maintenance education for an estimated 6,000 students kindergarten through eighth grade. Much of the education is done at school campuses across the Lehigh Valley and at CAT’s Bethlehem location.
  • Community Bike Works: $240,036 for two years of programming. Carrying the mission of “teaching life lessons through bicycles,” CBW impacts the lives of hundreds of children through its two locations in Allentown, and new location in Easton. It’s popular Build a Bike program enables more than 600 youths, aged 9-18 connect with adult mentors to learn bicycle maintenance and safety. Students who complete the program earn ownership of the bike they worked on through the 12-week program.
  • Two Rivers Trail Gap: $654,036 for a Northampton County project to carve a .8-mile trail through Bushkill Township, connecting Jacobsburg State Park to the section of the September 11 National Memorial Trail that runs through Stockertown Borough and Plainfield Township.  The project will include establishing a trailhead at Filetown Road in Bushkill Township and creating a crushed limestone multi-use trail that extends to Henry Road at the state park. It’s the next step in creating an unbroken Two Rivers Trail from Easton to Jacobsburg State Park.
  • Fountain Hill Pedestrian Safety: $203,829 to install pedestrian safety measures at the busy intersection at Broadway and Delaware Avenue. The project includes new pedestrian crossing signs with LED lighting, countdown timers and accessibility ramps. The intersection changes are part of a larger resurfacing and streetscape project along Broadway through the Borough.
  • Allentown Pedestrian Safety: $181,471 to help accessibility ramps, roadway repairs and striped crosswalks along an intersection at Martin King Luther Jr. Drive in Allentown. It’s part of a larger project that includes audible crosswalk signals and other pedestrian safety measures at an intersection that carries 16,000 vehicles a day within two blocks of three schools and the Parkettes Gymnastic Training Center.

The projects were chosen after a detailed, four-month selection process.  Each project was analyzed and scored based on its compliance with Federal Highway Administration criteria and FutureLV: The Regional Plan.

The grant money becomes available October 1.

Lehigh Valley Planning Commission

961 Marcon Boulevard - Suite 310

Allentown, PA 18109

Phone: (610) 264-4544

Toll Free: (888) 627-8808