| |
1
$54,500,000
$11,250,000 in federal funds
Avoca, Luzerne County
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport plans to construct a new terminal building, replacing its 40 year old existing structure. Other necessary improvements include the relocation of the Air Traffic Control Tower, the relocation of the Ariport Rescue and Fire Fighting Facility, and the construction of a parking lot for 1500 vehicles.
Luzerne/Lackawanna Counties, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Aviation Trust Fund, passenger facility charges
Barry Centini, Executive Director, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport; Telephone (570) 346-0672
1
$300,000
Danville, Montour County
Using funds primarily administered by PennDOT Department of Aviation, the Northumberland and Montour Commissioners, who jointly own Danville Airport, are anticipating broad enhancements and improvements to be made to the facility during the years 1999 and 2000. Included in the renovations is a new 3,000 foot hard surface runway with accompanying hard surface taxiways. These improvements will make the airport fully usable by companies such as Merck Chemical Company, Inc., Penn State Geisinger Medical Center’s main campus in Danville, and other similar job-producing and service-providing entities. Geisinger regularly uses the strip in connection with their helicopter operation. At least once a week, Merck use the airport to provide a landing site for their executive transport helicopters. Merck has a plant located in close proximity to the airstrip, and they express their strong interest in the facility by periodically assisting the airport in various ways. Merck executives continually inquire as to when the runway will be able to accommodate their jet aircraft. Largely because of the airport location, management at the site continually receive requests for the storage of aircraft and other services relating to air transport. All such requests indicate the potential for a much greater and more productive use of the site as a general business and employment generator. Currently, the 267-acre airport provides only a grass landing strip. A self-propelled grass cutter, a self-propelled snow blower, and building in which to store them are also needed. This equipment will allow the airport to significantly reduce the noise and visual pollution generated because of the grossly-inadequate, inefficient, and time-wasting equipment now being used.
Appalachian Regional Commission, Economic Development Administration, Department of Housing and Urban Development Economic Development Initiative, U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Business Enterprise Program
Chief Clerk of the Montour County Commissioner’s Office; Telephone (570) 271-3000
3
Initial Study $250,000-$300,000
FAA 90%, still need local sponsor (Tri-Counties - Carbon, Luzerne, and Schuykill)
A configuration of approximately 12,000 acres abutting Luzerne, Carbon and Schuylkill counties
The City of Hazleton proposes developing a maintenance and reliever airport. Initial plans call for a Category III airport with a 15,000 foot runway. The land has direct access to Interstate 80 which goes directly to Newark, New Jersey, only eighty miles away. The airport would serve three key functions. First, it would provide a first-class maintenance facility for airlines, which currently lack East Coast maintenance operations. The City has contacted potential users of a maintenance facility and received positive expressions of interest. The airport would also serve as an emergency diversion airport for other East Coast airports, especially those in the New York City/Newark, Philadelphia, and Baltimore/Washington regions. For example, Newark International Airport must divert planes to Dulles International Airport when complete instrument landings are required due to weather conditions. Finally, the airport would be in an ideal position to become a leading destination for airfreight. Airfreight traffic has experienced tremendous growth over the last several years and projections anticipate continued significant growth. As stated, the airport is ideally located next to major transportation arteries and is centrally located within hours of major East Coast population centers. Ultimately, the availability of this facility could attract major airfreight traffic allowing greater utilization of East Coast airports for passengers especially at slot-constrained facilities.
Michael Marsicano, Mayor, City of Hazleton, Telephone (570) 459-4910
1
$1,500,000
Wilkes-Barre Township, Luzerne County
Upon completion of a Highland Park Master Plan relating to all properties in and around the NEPA Arena/Convention Center, a new loop road will need to be constructed to enclose the parking area and allow for development of parcels surrounding the arena project. The Master Plan will be completed by January 1999.
Federal Highway Administration Funds administered by Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
Steve Barrouk, Executive Director, Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry; Telephone (570) 823-2101
1
$17,000,000
$1,000,000 for engineering/design work
Wilkes-Barre Township, Luzerne County
A proposed connector road linking the east side of exit 46 with the intersection of Route 115 and the East Mountain Corporate Center has the possibility of opening up thousands of acres to residential, light industrial, commercial and recreational possibilities. This connector will also establish an eastern connection off of I-81 South, a connection which currently does not exist. Status: Awaiting design and engineering study
Federal Highway Administration Funds administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
Steve Barrouk, Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry; Telephone (570) 823-2101
1
$250,000
$90,000
Hazleton, Luzerne County
Volunteers and professionals will work together to conduct a planting of trees, shrubs, and flowers to create a more positive first impression of the community. The project will take place along the northwest and southeast roadsides and in the median strip on approximately one-third of a mile of State Rte. 924 between the PennDOT maintenance shed and the intersection with Rte. 93 (Broad St.). A sign announcing "Welcome to Greater Hazleton" will be placed in an existing island near the intersection. In addition to the environmental, economic development, transportation, and quality of life goals that will be achieved by this project, it will be a model of the positive results that can be achieved through cooperation and partnering. This project will serve as a "pilot" or demonstration project which, as additional resources are identified, can be replicated at other community gateways throughout Greater Hazleton, the region, and the Commonwealth. An application for funding has been submitted to the Penn DOT Transportation Enhancements Program. Also, the American Institute of Landscape Architects have offered to provide voluntary service from a local member company. Moneys received through this program would be added to local cash and in-kind match. This project is envisioned to be the start of a community-wide effort to improve and beautify the interstate gateways to the Greater Hazleton Area.
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Enhancements Projects
Lena Kotansky, Mountain Council of Governments; Telephone (570) 455-1508
$175,000
Upper Augusta Township, Northumberland County
The project pertains to the design and construction of a bridge replacement bridge on Keefer Road (T-720), east of TR 890.
Federal Highway Administration Funds administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
John Bakowicz, PE, Township Engineer, Municipal Authority Engineer; Telephone (570) 286-8167
Mayberry Township, Montour County
This project would raise the existing SR 2102, SR 2119, and bridge to prevent flooding. This area floods easily, causing school buses and emergency vehicles to reroute during flooding.
Federal Highway Administration funds administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation; mitigation funds administered by the Wyoming Valley Levee Raising Project Mitigation Advisory Board
Norma A. Bird, Secretary, Mayberry Township Supervisor; Telephone (570) 271-3088
2
Study (First Phase)-$50,000 / Phase II and Implementation costs to be determined
$50,000
Columbia County
A comprehensive traffic study is needed due to traffic volumes and characteristics of the Route 11 corridor, as well as future projected growth. A planning study for Route 11 from Berwick to Northumberland is now included in PennDOT’s Transportation Improvement Program at the request of Columbia County Commissioners. This study will make recommendations for future improvements and/or controls along this roadway.
PennDOT, TEA-21
Neal Fogle, Director, Columbia County Planning Commission; Telephone (570) 389-9146
2
$7.5 million
$2 million
Hazleton, Luzerne County
The Hazleton Metro Center will incorporate the following transportation modes and related systems: mass transit, interstate bus transportation, heliport, taxi service, two-wheel commuter stations, Emergency Coordination System, and Intelligent Transportation Message System housed in a 500-car multistory parking structure with entry and exit from Green Street. The facility will also include a 10-bus terminal located directly under the parking structure on the main level and accessible from Broad Street. A terminal building, also located under the parking facility, will provide for space that can be used for commercial, retail, office, and entertainment uses.
Federal Transit Administration, 20% local share necessary
Ron Slusser, Economic Development Officer, City of Hazleton, Telephone (570) 459-4913
3
$12,000,000
Hazle Township, Luzerne County
Route 924 stretches from Exit 40 of I-81 to the Schuylkill County Line. This project proposes improvements and widening the road to four lanes.
Federal Highway Administration Funds administered by the PA Department of Transportation
W. Kevin O’Donnell, President, CAN DO, (570) 455-1508
3
$16,500,000
Avoca Borough, Luzerne County
This project calls for the reconstruction of north and south access ramps and sound barriers.
Federal Highway Administration Funds administered by the PA Department of Transportation
Avoca Mayor Jim Haddock, (570) 457-4947
3
$8,000,000
Plains Township and City of Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County
This project includes North River Street, from the North Cross Valley to North Street. The project would conduct a study to investigate the possibility of constructing a new, two-lane, parallel road along abandoned railroad bed.
Tom McGroarty, Mayor of Wilkes-Barre, (570) 821-1170