Pashinski announces $1 million for Hanover Township from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

HARRISBURG, April 20 – State Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, D-Luzerne, today announced that the Wolf Administration has approved $1 million for Hanover Township to enhance infrastructure utilizing funding from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The $1 million will be used to update the railroad alignment of the former Lehigh Valley Railroad between Mountain Top and Laurel Run Borough. Improvements include grading, resurfacing, repairing or improving drainage; interpretive and wayfinding signage; fencing as needed; bollards and gate installations to prevent unauthorized vehicles; and other rail-to-trail improvements.

“Today’s announcement is a substantial investment in Hanover Township’s infrastructure, which will improve public safety, mobility and quality of life for residents,” Pashinski said. “I want to thank President Biden and members of Congress for working across the aisle to approve the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and making this funding possible. Residents can rest assured that this project is just the beginning of many across our county, commonwealth and country that will be funded by BIL over the next 5 years.”

The administration awarded $54.1 million through the Surface Transportation Block Grant program called Set-Aside or Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside. This program 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, as well as trails that serve a transportation purpose and safe-routes-to-school projects.

The applications were reviewed and selections made based on such criteria as safety benefits, reasonableness of cost, readiness for implementation, statewide or regional significance, integration of land use and transportation decision making, collaboration with stakeholders, and leverage of other projects or funding. The applications were reviewed by representatives from PennDOT, the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, state Department of Health, and three Metropolitan and Rural Planning Organizations.

More information and a complete list of planned and active PennDOT construction projects is available at www.projects.penndot.gov.

Read more: https://www.timesleader.com/news/1551547/pashinski-announces-1m-for-hanover-twp-rail-trail-upgrade.