INTRODUCTION The Transportation Element of the Centre Planning Agency (CRPA), and the County Comprehensive Plan is an Susquehanna Economic Development assessment of the transportation facilities in Association Council of Governments the County. These facilities include not just (SEDA-COG). These organizations work the road network, but all forms of alongside the Pennsylvania Department of transportation including transit, rail, airports Transportation (PENNDOT) to identify and and bike and pedestrian facilities. It is prioritize transportation improvement important to consider the transportation projects in Centre County. network as an integrated multi-modal system. The existing conditions of the TRANSPORTATION GOAL AND transportation network are described in this OBJECTIVES initial section of the Transportation Element The goal of the Transportation Element is: (Part 1). The Transportation Element will be “To provide a multi-modal transportation completed in the future after completion of system, which includes air, bicycle, the Travel Demand Model Analysis and highway, pedestrian, public transportation, Long Range Transportation Plan for Centre and rail facilities to maximize the efficient, County. safe, economical and convenient movement of people and goods while minimizing the Significant growth of residential, office and adverse impact the system will have on industrial development has occurred in the natural and cultural resources, as well as County – especially in the Centre Region people.” area where Penn State University has served as a magnet for development. This ROAD NETWORK growth is forecasted to continue. As a Pennsylvania is in a strategic position with result, the need to identify transportation important interstate roadways traversing the facilities that will accommodate this growth state and serving national and international is a key part of the comprehensive planning trade routes. Centrally located within process. Pennsylvania, Centre County is about 90 miles northwest of Harrisburg. Transpor- The Centre Region Metropolitan Planning tation facilities serving the County are Organization (CRMPO) is the agency shown on Figure 1. This includes Interstate responsible for coordinating transportation 80 and future Interstate 99; the Mt. Nittany planning efforts in the geographic area Expressway; principal arterial highways covering Benner, College, Ferguson, such as US Route 322, US Route 220 and Halfmoon, Harris, Patton and Spring State Route 26; urban and rural major Townships, as well as Bellefonte and State collector roadways such as State Route College Boroughs. 504, Allen Street in State College Borough and other roads that serve as intra-county The CRMPO coordinates transportation travel corridors; rural minor collectors which issues with the following agencies: Centre provide service to the smaller communities; County Planning Commission (CCPC), and local roads that provide access to Centre Regional Planning Commission adjacent land uses and serve shorter trips. (CRPC), the Centre Area Transportation This network serves both the major regional Authority (CATA), the Centre County traffic movements and local trips. Railroad Planning Office (CCPO), Centre Regional lines and airports are also shown of Figure 1.

Executive Summary Page E- 1 Transportation Plan Element Part I, Centre County Comprehensive Plan May 2003 A major transportation initiative currently the PENNDOT Crash Records System. In underway is the completion of Interstate 99 Pennsylvania, reportable crashes include south to Blair County, which will provide those involving property damage, injuries, or improved access between Interstate 80 and fatalities. The data indicates that there were the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Other major 2,785 crashes in 101 crash clusters transportation studies and projects include recorded between 1996 and 2000. This data Corridor O (US Route 322), the Western provides a broad picture of safety problem Inner Loop Connector in Ferguson areas. Safety problem areas have been Township from State Route 26 (West identified in other locations, including but College Avenue) to North Atherton Street not limited to: US Route 220 north of and the South Central Centre County Marthas Furnace and State Routes 322, Transportation Study (SCCCTS). 144 and 45 east of State College.

Traffic Volumes As part of the on-going transportation Centre County traffic has continued to grow, planning efforts, safety problems not which is reflected in increasing congestion currently addressed through the especially focused in the State College Transportation Improvement Program area. Traffic volumes on key roadways should be further evaluated. have increased significantly since 1965. Fueled by Penn State University and by the BRIDGES increasing number of residential, Bridges are important elements of the commercial, business and industrial transportation network in Centre County. enterprises, this growth has contributed to Within Centre County there are 59 local large increases in traffic on the major roads bridges and 365 State owned bridges. serving commuter traffic from Centre Through a regular system of bridge County and the surrounding counties. inspection, County bridges are scheduled for routine maintenance, rehabilitation or Centre County’s centralized location in replacement. Pennsylvania serves truck freight moving from the Atlantic coast to destinations in the PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION Midwest and beyond. Nearly 50 percent of Reflecting the diverse nature of Centre the commercial truck traffic in Pennsylvania County, there is more than one transit is moving through the state to destinations service and public transportation operator. outside of Pennsylvania1. Truck traffic has significantly increased on Interstate 80, Public Transit which is a major national and international The Centre County Office of Transportation freight route from New Jersey to California. (CCOT) operates a demand responsive Figure 2 shows annual average daily traffic ‘shared ride’ service throughout Centre volumes on state maintained roads in County. While the service is available to the Centre County. general public, it is primarily oriented to senior citizens and disabled passengers. The CCOT also provides specially arranged Safety Considerations transportation by contract rates. Paratransit Crash data for Centre County from the service is available to any location within the years 1996 through 2000 was obtained from boundaries of Centre County and selected locations outside of Centre County.

1 USDOT, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 1997.

Executive Summary Page E- 2 Transportation Plan Element Part I, Centre County Comprehensive Plan May 2003 The Centre Area Transportation Authority transportation plan will be developed. (CATA) operates three types of public Proposals regarding the extent of the transit transportation services throughout the system and its coverage, the types of Centre Region and surrounding areas of services offered, and the frequency of Centre County. These include fixed-route service, will be included in the Plan. bus service, demand responsive service and special services. TRAVEL PATTERNS As indicated by the 2000 US Census, CATA also operates shuttle services during approximately 78 percent of Centre County special events that include Penn State workers drive alone or carpool, compared to University home football games, and other 87 percent statewide. The second most events. CATA also operates a Ride Share common method of commuting to work program in Centre County that is a free ride within Centre County is by foot. matching service. Approximately 12 percent of the County workers walked to work in 2000, as Intercity Bus Service compared to 4 percent statewide. Most of Greyhound Lines and Fullington Trailways the non-motorized travel is related to Penn provide intercity bus service connecting State University and downtown State Centre County with Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, College. The percentage of workers in Wilkes-Barre and DuBois, with primary Centre County who commute via bus (3.6%) community stops en route. While the is comparable to the statewide average. current route services are limited, connections can be made to other In 2000, approximately 92 percent of Centre destinations. County residents work inside the County; about 40 percent of Centre County Park and Ride Facilities residents commute under 15 minutes to In State College, a park and ride program work. The mean travel time to work for was implemented to provide inexpensive Centre County residents in 2000 was 19.6 perimeter parking for downtown State minutes, significantly less time than the College business employees. The program statewide average of 25.2 minutes. is run through a partnership between State College, CATA and Penn State. In addition, AIRPORTS a park and ride facility is planned in Potter Centre County, Pennsylvania has six public Township (Old Fort), and there is an use aviation facilities: University Park informal park and ride facility at the Cold Airport, Mid-State Airport, Bellefonte Airport, Spring Dam site in Philipsburg. Centre Airpark, Penns Cave Airport and Ridge Soaring Gliderport. Three commercial Public Transportation Plan carriers serve the University Park Airport and the other five airports are general A comprehensive study of the Public aviation facilities. Transportation system is now underway as part of the Centre County Long Range University Park Airport is the seventh Transportation Plan. This includes an busiest commercial airport in Pennsylvania assessment of the existing transportation and the largest in Centre County. Between services and opportunities for the future. 1985 and 2001, the number of enplanements has increased 41 percent, Various service alternatives will be from 46,709 to 113,597. Currently, evaluated and a recommended public

Executive Summary Page E- 3 Transportation Plan Element Part I, Centre County Comprehensive Plan May 2003 the airport accommodates almost 170 flights NBER main line in 2003 and equipment and per day. other branch line improvements.

According to the Draft University Park There is no passenger rail intercity service Airport Master Plan,2 improvements will be in Centre County. Amtrak service through needed to handle the expected airport traffic central Pennsylvania passes to the south of over the twenty-year planning period from Centre County through Blair and 2000 to 2020. During this period there is an Huntingdon Counties. The Bellefonte expected 80 percent increase in the total Historical Railroad promotes rail-fan tourism passengers flying out of University Park. through ecotourism rail tours operating from Bellefonte. Mid-State Airport is located five miles east of Philipsburg along State Route 504 in PennPlan,3 the 25-year Statewide Long Rush Township. Two of the three Keystone Range Transportation Plan (2000-2025), Opportunity Zones in Centre County are identified a need for a passenger rail study located at the Mid-State Airport, including to assess statewide intercity (not commuter) the Airport and the Black Moshannon passenger rail services and possible Enterprise Center. Mid-State Airport is expansion of passenger service into freight currently underutilized, given its significant corridors. facilities and runway structure. Land and infrastructure is available for future Initial assessments have been conducted development in association with the airport on a State College – Altoona – Pittsburgh facilities around the airport. Community corridor rail line, as well as a State College- leaders have discussed expansion of the Harrisburg corridor line. Future feasibility airport for commercial freight operations. assessment of any corridors would require The remaining Centre County airports are detailed evaluations to identify right-of-way, described in the Transportation Element. station locations, ridership, costs and benefits.4 RAIL Norfolk Southern and the Nittany and Bald Maglev Eagle Railroad (NBER) are the two railroads The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st that traverse Centre County. The NBER Century (TEA 21) funded a study to operates and provides freight service to the examine the possible construction of a high- Centre County region. Norfolk Southern has speed Maglev, a magnetically levitated trackage rights, but does not provide service train. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and to Centre County. Both railroads operate on Baltimore, Maryland were the only two the SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority rail metropolitan areas selected as possible lines. locations for the Maglev project.

NBER forecasts an increase in tonnage The proposed Pennsylvania High-Speed from local businesses and the Norfolk Maglev project is a 47-mile high-speed Southern coal trains operating on trackage levitation transport system which would rights on the NBER main line. Future improvements include an upgrade to the 3 PennPlan Moves!, Statewide Long Range Transportation Plan 2000-2025. 4 Pennsylvania Statewide Passenger Rail Needs 2 Draft University Park Airport Master Plan, Delta Airport Assessment Technical Report, Technical Advisory Consultants, Inc., 2002. Committee, December 2001.

Executive Summary Page E- 4 Transportation Plan Element Part I, Centre County Comprehensive Plan May 2003 operate from Pittsburgh International Airport Rail-Trails to Greensburg with MAGport stations A number of rail-trail facilities are in the located at the Airport, Downtown Pittsburgh, early design and planning phases; for Monroeville and Greensburg. Future example, the Penns Creek Path has been service may link Pittsburgh to Philadelphia constructed and is open to the public. and include a stop in State College with Through the planning process, other trail ultimately a connection to the Northeast projects should be identified to expand the Corridor Amtrak line. County-wide network and funding should be sought to implement these planning efforts. BICYCLE FACILITIES AND GREENWAYS The Centre Region has a number of bicycle PENNPLAN off-road and on-road bicycle facilities, the In addition to identifying the need for a Statewide Bicycle Route G, greenways and passenger rail line study, the PennPlan rail-trails facilities. covers all modes of transportation and the interactions between these modes. There are 15 existing off-road bikeway facilities in the Centre Region, totaling PennPlan lists 30 statewide objectives and approximately 18 miles. In addition, there outlines performance measures and targets are approximately nine miles of proposed for each. PennPlan also lists 28 corridors of off-road bike facilities. There are almost four ‘statewide significance’. Three corridors miles of on-road bicycle routes in the Centre cover sections of Centre County, including Region. the Keystone Shortway Corridor along Interstate 80, the 28th Division Corridor Pennsylvania has five statewide bicycle along Route 22/322, and the Bald Eagle routes which include both on-road facilities Corridor along US Route 220/322, State and trails. Over 200 miles of the statewide Route 26 and Interstate 99. bicycle routes are fully signed, with another 800 miles slated for bike route designation REGIONAL FREIGHT PERSPECTIVE in the near future. Route G is a north/ south A regional freight perspective report was statewide bicycle touring route from New prepared as part of the Centre County York State to Maryland. It travels through Comprehensive Plan Transportation Centre County. Element to identify regional freight transportation trends and issues in Centre Greenways County.5 Freight movement, especially The recently completed Nittany and Bald truck freight is an important issue in Centre Eagle Valley Greenway Plan includes County, particularly given the growing levels watershed corridors along Spring Creek, of truck traffic through the County. Buffalo Run, Logan Branch, and their tributaries. The purpose of the Nittany and Freight demands are responding to three Bald Eagle Valley Greenway Plan is to major shifts: a change from a national identify a network of trails and to protect the market to a global market, a shift from a high quality waters of the Spring Creek and manufacturing to a service-based economy, Bald Eagle watersheds. The Greenway and movement from traditional Plan should be extended countywide as part manufacturing and warehouse system to a of the current Centre County

Comprehensive Plan update. 5 Centre County Transportation Plan, Regional Freight Transportation Perspective, Orth-Rodgers & Associates, Inc., May 2003.

Executive Summary Page E- 5 Transportation Plan Element Part I, Centre County Comprehensive Plan May 2003 customer-dictated, just-in-time delivery solutions to problems. Crash data will also system. Freight is expected to grow be used to identify safety problem areas. significantly over the next 20 years, especially international freight coming The bicycle and greenways facilities, through ports and border crossings. existing and planned, have been documented. Future recommendations may Pennsylvania’s centralized keystone include looking at ways to further expand location with major trade routes traversing the bicycle and greenways system to the state makes this fact inevitable. increase mobility and to provide additional Interstate 80 and Interstate 76 are the recreation choices. The municipal sub- primary east-west trade routes through division and land development ordinances Pennsylvania. Interstates 95, 81 and 79 should identify these systems and include and US Routes 15, 219 and 220 serve provisions for bike facilities to provide local north/south traffic through Pennsylvania. connections.

In Centre County, future completion of Other strategies will also be investigated to Interstate 99 and other planned address transportation problems. For transportation improvements, such as example, areas identified for future Corridor O, will also change local travel congestion may warrant an evaluation of patterns within Centre County to the extent alternative land use patterns and growth that they direct traffic to the new alignments. management tools to proactively address these problems. This may include It is not expected that significant changes in coordination with future land use planning to freight hauling routes will occur, unless create more sustainable development. other major actions (currently unknown) that Other planning tools such as access may affect market logistics, port activity or management controls and traffic impact regulatory policy take place. The major assessments for major development travel corridors will continue to serve long projects should be considered to proactively distance haulers that traverse Centre address future transportation conditions. County. Interstate 80 currently serves as a key trade corridor. Other major roads will Planning for airport expansion must also continue to serve truck freight flows to consider future growth in air traffic and air the extent that they are more reliable, cost freight service. Ensuring that the roadways effective, and time effective routes, as will accommodate increasing traffic determined by the truck operators or especially around University Park Airport is owners. Future changes in freight supply, a consideration. Providing public logistics, new technology and other factors transportation to the airport should be may, however, affect how freight is being explored as well. moved. Rail planning has two primary components. CONCLUSIONS Rail freight is expected to increase in the The Centre County Long Range County and the system must continue to be Transportation Plan 2000-2030 is currently maintained and expanded to serve future in process. Through this study, a state-of- industry needs. Future passenger rail travel the-art travel demand model is being through the Maglev network has the developed that will assist in identifying opportunity to change commuting patterns highway transportation needs. This tool will between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg and can also be used to evaluate alternative

Executive Summary Page E- 6 Transportation Plan Element Part I, Centre County Comprehensive Plan May 2003 significantly affect Centre County. The Maglev study process will need to be monitored to assess the effect on Centre County.

Freight movements through Centre County have been identified as a community concern. Truck traffic should continue to be monitored as the major transportation projects are completed. An evaluation of the public transportation system is underway. The results will be incorporated into this Transportation Plan.

Executive Summary Page E- 7 Transportation Plan Element Part I, Centre County Comprehensive Plan May 2003 Patton 150 Figure 1 Township Colleg Townsh TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES Centre County, Pennsylvania BUS 322 322

State College Airports Borough Active Railroad

Interstate 99 (Under Construction)

US Route 322 (Future Interstate 99) Harris US Route 220 (Future Interstate 99) 26 Townsh Interstate uson US Route State Route Local Streets Municipal Boundary

Burnside Township 144

879 Liberty Township Curtin Township Snow Shoe Township Boggs 53 Snow Shoe Township Borough Howard Borough Howard Township 26 80 220 80 150 Marion Township

144 64 Miles Union Milesburg Township Township Borough Walker 445 Township Rush Bellefonte Philipsburg Township 504 Borough Borough Unionville Borough 192 Mid-State Airport Bellefonte Airport 220 Millheim Keystone Glideport Borough South Philipsburg Penns Cave Haines Borough 322 Spring Airport 45 Township Huston ALT Township 220 Benner Township Gregg Township Township 550 University Park26 Airport Penn 350 Centre Hall Borough Township Worth Patton 150 970 Township Township College Township 144 Centre Airpark Airport 322 BUS 322 Port Matilda 322 Borough State College Borough 322 Halfmoon Potter 350 Township 0 2.5 5 7.5 10 Taylor Township Miles Township Harris 220 26 Township Ferguson Source: Centre County Planning Office and PennDOT Township Projection: State Plane - North Zone Datum: NAD83 45 Map revised: May 2003 uston 220 Benner Figure 2 wnship Township 550 26 TRAFFIC VOLUMES - 2000 Patton 150 Township College Township Centre County, Pennsylvania BUS 322 322 Traffic Volumes - 2000 State College Borough 0 - 3,000 on 3,000 - 8,000 ip 8,000 - 15,000 Harris 26 Township 15,000 - 25,000 Ferguson 25,000 - 35,000 Township 35,000 - 45,000 45

AADT represents the annual average traffic per day. Burnside Township 144

879 Liberty Township Curtin Township Snow Shoe Township Boggs Snow Shoe 53 Township Borough Howard Borough Howard Township 26 80

80 150 Marion Township

144 64 Miles Union Milesburg Township Township Borough Walker 445 Township Rush Bellefonte Philipsburg Township 504 Borough Borough Unionville Borough 192 26 Millheim Borough South Philipsburg Haines Borough 322 Spring 45 Township Huston 220 Benner Township Township Gregg Township Township 550 26 Penn 350 Centre Hall 150 Borough Township Worth Patton 970 Township Township College Township 144 322 BUS 322 322 Port Matilda Borough State College Borough 322 Halfmoon Potter 350 Township Taylor Township Township Harris 220 0 2.5 5 7.5 10 26 Township Miles Ferguson Township

45 Source: Centre County Planning Office and PennDOT Projection: State Plane - North Zone Datum: NAD83 Map revised: April 2003

VEHICLE COUNTS BASED ON PENNDOT YEAR 2000 VEHICLE COUNTS ON STATE MAINTAINED ROADS ONLY