PennDOT Announces Funding for Smart Transportation

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation recently announced it is providing $59.2 million for 50 "Smart Transportation" related projects under the Pennsyvlania Community Transportation Initiative (PCTI) program. Smart transportation initatives are designed to improve communities by linking transportation investments to local land use planning. PCTI will fund planning and construction projects that demonstrate creative and efficient ways of addressing various transportation challenges through strong local partnerships and considerations of community goals. PennDOT had received more than 400 applications from municipalities, Metropolitan and Rural Planning Organizations, and transit authorities requesting more than $600 million. The chosen list of PCTI grant recipients includes planning and construction projects that focus on downtown revitalization efforts, local street connections, multi-use trails, traffic calming efforts, and transit-oriented development studies.

"These investments will stimulate the economy by putting people to work creating sustainable communities that will improve our quality of life and send a clear message that Pennsyvlania is a great place to live and work," said PA Governor Ed Rendell.

"Smart transportation is the way we must be thinking," said PennDOT Secretary Allen Biehler, P.E. "We are closely examining costs, accomodating all modes of travel, leveraging and preserving our existing infrastructure, enhancing local street networks, building towns rather than inviting sprawl, planning and designing with thoughtful consideration of community context, and working with local governments."

The PCTI program was created out of a collaboration between 10,000 Friends of PA, a group which advocates for sustainability and smart transportation , and PennDOT. PennDOT has also developed the Smart Transportation Guidebook, which offers a broader range of solutions to balance the unique characteristics of the varying community types across PA with transportation improvements.

The Greater Philadelphia region received $18.5 million in PCTI funding. Among the projects funded includes:

- $1,775,000 to Montgomery County to reduce the width of Hanover Street vehicle lanes in Pottstown and North Coventry Township in order to have room to install bike lanes, parking, and a multi-use trail from River Road to High Street.

- $275,000 to Abington Township to plan for transit-oriented development at the Noble Train station.

- $350,000 to Lower Merion Township to construct bicycle and pedestrian improvements from Cynwyd station to the Cynwyd trail.

- $1,400,000 to Cheltenham Township to construct traffic calming and pedestrian improvements to provide intermodal connectivity in a high density area.

- $2,480,000 to the City of Philadelphia to reconstruct sidewalks and provide pedestrian enhancements and lighting along 10th Street and Berks Street past the Temple Regional Rail station to the corner of Germantown Avenue.

- $1,735,422 to the City of Philadelphia to improve pedestrian safety and provide traffic calming in the Chinatown neighborhood along and around Vine Street between 9th Street and 11th Street.

For more information about smart transportation or to see the full list of PCTI grant recipients, click here.