Tom Corbett, Governor • Barry J. Schoch, Secretary Issue 8 • Spring 2014 New Transportation Plan to Help Address Aggressive Winter’s Roadway Impacts By Wayne Mears, PennDOT Central Press Office Spring is a busy time for PennDOT employees. After a long “In Cumberland County, we are now concentrating on winter of plowing snow and keeping the 40,000 miles of sweeping our Interstates and cleaning bridges, finishing prep state-owned roads passible, it’s now time to detach the plows work on two roads we’re paving this spring - Rich Valley and and turn a focus to maintenance. With the arrival of warmer Spangler’s Mill Road, and we have a large pipe job on Route weather, the men and women of PennDOT can make more 94 near the Adams County line. We are trying to address permanent repairs, building on the temporary fixes that had pothole issues as well, which are a result of the winter, along to be used through the winter and colder months. with managing to pick litter prior to our contracted mowers starting next month!” Pennsylvania’s motorists and bicyclists are certainly aware of the potholes created by these extreme conditions and they Other PennDOT maintenance crews around the state are can rest assured that these repairs are at the forefront of the experiencing similar challenges. While crews are working on department’s plans. Governor Tom Corbett championed Act roadways, motorists and bicyclists are urged to stay alert, use 89 of 2013, a transportation plan, giving PennDOT the much caution and be patient when they encounter PennDOT or needed funding to make many of the repairs that are badly other utility crews working night and day to reverse winter’s needed for roads and bridges alike. damage and begin a record number of transportation projects. In carrying out the extensive improvements needed across the state, PennDOT's Cumberland County Maintenance PennDOT also asks, while on your evening or weekend bike Manager in Harrisburg-based District 8, Dan Storm, is very ride, if you spot a particular stretch of state road or pothole familiar with the challenges that lay ahead for his team. that needs attention, don’t assume it’s documented. Call 1- 800-FIX-ROAD to report maintenance concerns on state “A lot of our spring maintenance work is dictated by the type roadways, including specific location information. of winter we have experienced,” he said. “This was a very tough winter, especially with freeze and thaw issues that have To learn more about benefits coming near you because of the a negative effect on the roadways. transportation plan, visit www.dot.state.pa.us and click on “PA’s Comprehensive Transportation Plan.” In This Issue: Governor Corbett Announces Transit Investment Public Invited to Share Input on in East Liberty . 3 Transportation Priorities . 2 Trail Spotlight . 4 South Central Region Turns to Summits for Philadelphia Wins Competitive Grant for Bicycle Information Sharing, Advocacy . 2 Pedestrian Safety . 5 1 Public Invited to Share Input on Transportation Priorities The public is invited to share their transportation priorities among all feedback on transportation priorities and assets, from freight connections to bike investments through a survey at and pedestrian facilities. Participants will www.PAOnTrack.com as part of then rate the appeal of how various PennDOT’s efforts to update the state’s investment scenarios, such as Long Range Transportation Plan and preservation and technology develop the state’s first-ever enhancements, affect their top priorities. Comprehensive Freight Movement plan. People taking the survey can also The plans will provide a strategic vision identify project needs that address traffic for investing in transportation assets to congestion, bridges, transit and more. meet current and future demands. The state Comprehensive Freight The plan’s goals, objectives and Movement Plan’s development was recommendations will help guide the recommended by the state’s state’s future 12-Year Programs and Transportation Funding Advisory regional long-range transportation plans. Commission, which Governor Tom Following a yet-to-be-established Corbett created in 2011 to develop public-comment period, the freight and The survey, available until May 30, innovative solutions to Pennsylvania’s long-range plans will be finalized in asks the public to identify their top transportation funding challenges. fall 2014. South Central Region Turns to Summits for Bicycle Information Sharing, Advocacy By Wayne Mears, PennDOT Central Press Office Last fall, PennDOT staff attended a bike summit to offer input and gather an understanding of what is needed to safely commute by bicycle in the city of Lancaster. Maintenance Technical Leadership Division Chief Daryl R. St. Clair and Engineering District 8 Transportation Planner Dave Holcombe joined several individuals representing local stakeholders and member counties who made presentations on what was happening to improve bicycling in their areas. Also, as part of the summit, attendees rode several routes in downtown Lancaster to survey the most bike-friendly routes. This field view is an important step in future bike safety planning for the streets of the city. To organize bicycling promotion for transportation, recreation and fitness in the eight-county area, Bicycle South Central Pennsylvania, a regional advocacy organization, was officially established. Of the organization’s establishment, Lebanon Valley Bicycle Coalition president Pat Krebs said, “There are so many bicycling infrastructure and promotional activities underway in the region that we can learn from each area’s work and develop consistency and connectivity between our communities.” Daryl R. St. Clair and Dave Holcombe prepare to Building on the summit’s momentum, Harrisburg will host a summit, on May 29 and 30 in - complete field survey. spired by the fall BSCPA event. Participants will learn about opportunities to increase active transportation investments. This also presents an opportunity to develop relationships with other advocates, agency staff, elected officials and bike/pedestrian professionals. Both sessions are free of charge and you may register at www.advocacyadvance.org/trainings . Select the Harrisburg May 29 and/or Harrisburg May 30 session. To learn more about Bicycle South Central Pennsylvania, visit www.bicyclesouthcentralpa.org . 2 Governor Corbett Announces Transit Investment in East Liberty By Steve Cowan, Information Specialist Supervisor, PennDOT District 11 Once known as Pittsburgh’s “second additional transportation investment Ceremonies, noted that investment in downtown,” East Liberty was a thriving funds available for the project. transportation makes a better and community on the city’s east side, Improvements to the station are part of brighter future. He introduced dignitaries particularly during the 1940’s and 50’s. an overall $62.7 million investment to such as Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto, Rail and trolley lines, as well as the revitalize East Liberty. The total funding County Executive Rich Fitzgerald and Pittsburgh-Greensburg turnpike (U.S. 30), to date from the state is more than Congressman Mike Doyle, each focusing helped make East Liberty a transportation $21 million. on the importance of Act 89 and the hub and brought many of Pittsburgh’s impacts that transportation funding will industrialists to the eastern side of The transit center improvements will have on not only this project but the Pittsburgh. Unfortunately, the include station reconstruction, a rebuilt southwest region as a whole. neighborhood began losing steam in pedestrian bridge, improved access for the 1960’s and 70’s with the advent of the community, new stairs, streetscaping Peduto noted that a community-based suburban shopping malls and changed and a storage area for bicycles. The state vision allows neighborhoods such as East planning directions. investment, coupled with federal dollars, Liberty to come back because of public has helped leverage another $76 million investment. A focus on public transit, Fast forward 30 years and you will find in economic projects. An estimated $480 modernization, jobs and housing are a completely different community. million in mixed-use development important aspects and it was critical for Bolstered by increased investment and initiatives since 2001, including three new transportation funding to be passed businesses such as Google and Target, buildings adjacent to the busway, have for projects such as this to occur. East Liberty has transformed from a brought a new vitality to East Liberty. blighted, shadow of itself to a once again East Liberty is back on the map flourishing neighborhood. More than 800 daily bus trips will because of this $137 million economic occur from the revamped station, with development program. The governor On April 1, Governor Tom Corbett held pedestrians and bicyclists also having noted that the state’s $7 million a press event at the East Liberty Busway better access through the station commitment to the bus station is the Station to announce a significant improvements. At the media event, “lynchpin” to the overall project. investment for the next phase of work for Corbett stated that public transit rider - Residents in East Liberty and surrounding the transit station on the Martin Luther ship has increased to its highest levels communities will find a modern, King Busway. Corbett announced that the in decades. accessible and inviting transit station state is investing $5 million into the that dovetails with revitalization of