Casey, Specter Announce Committee Approval of Pennsylvania Transportation and Economic Development Projects

Washington, D.C. – July 23, 2010 – (RealEstateRama) — U.S. Senators Bob Casey and Arlen Specter today announced that the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee has approved federal funding for several Pennsylvania transportation projects. The projects are contained in the Fiscal Year 2011 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies (THUD) Appropriations Bill. 

“I am pleased that my colleagues on the Appropriations Committee have recognized the importance of these transportation and housing projects in Pennsylvania,” said Senator Specter. “These projects are necessary advancements to improve our roadways and an important force for economic growth in our local communities.”

“I am happy that funding for these vital transportation and housing projects has been approved by my colleagues,” Senator Casey said. “These funds will help rehabilitate existing infrastructure, support new innovative projects and create jobs throughout Pennsylvania.”

The bill must be approved by the full Senate, the House of Representatives and signed into law by the President before funding is final.

Pennsylvania transportation projects in the bill include:

Central
• $500,000 to design and construct high-priority safety improvements on an existing two-lane section of U.S. Route 322 between Potters Mills and Boalsburg in Centre County.

• $700,000 to support the operations of the I-81 Corridor Coalition which is based at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania and will coordinate transportation planning and infrastructure investments throughout Interstate 81.

Southwest
• $600,000 for the Lower Hill Infrastructure Project in Allegheny County. The funds will be used to construct five roads in the Lower Hill District of Pittsburgh to reconnect the neighborhood to the central business district.

Northeast
• $750,000 for the Valley View Business Park Access Road in Lackawanna County to construct a new access road to the 1,300 acre Valley View Business Park regional commerce center.

Southeast
• $700,000 for the U.S. Route 422/Sanatoga Interchange in Limerick Township in Montgomery County for safety improvements, to ease congestion and help mitigate traffic from planned commercial development.

Pennsylvania HUD projects in the bill include:

Central
• $800,000 for revitalization of the Market District in the City of Lancaster. Funding will be used for streetscape renovations near the nationally-registered historic market house.

Southwest
• $600,000 for the expansion of the Ludlum Mill in Allegheny County. Funds will be used for construction, engineering and traffic control.

• $200,000 for the Starpointe Industrial Park Project in Hanover Township in Washington County for infrastructure construction and excavation of sites that will house manufacturing businesses.

Northeast
• $200,000 for City of Wilkes-Barre (Luzerne County) for renovations of the downtown business district. These renovations will encourage economic investment in the community, creating sustainable jobs while also enhancing public safety.

Southeast
• $350,000 for the City of Philadelphia for the revitalization project located at 9th and Berks Streets. This project will support diverse development around the existing rail station.

Lehigh Valley
• $200,000 for Our City Reading, Inc. (Berks County) for the planning, design, renovation, and construction of homes, which will be sold to first-time homebuyers who are of low to moderate income.