PHILADELPHIA − November 13, 2019 − State Senator Vincent Hughes proudly announced that $3.2 million in grant funding had recently been awarded in the 7th Senatorial District.
The grants were designated for two projects in Sen. Hughes district, one in Philadelphia and the other in Montgomery County. A $1.7 million grant was awarded to City Avenue Special Services District for its Presidential Boulevard project and a $1.5 million grant was awarded to the Upper Dublin Township Municipal Authority for its Dreshertown Road Cross County Trail Extension.
“I am pleased to announce funding for these two wonderful projects and look forward to seeing their impact in the near future,” Sen. Hughes said. “Both projects are designed with improving safety and expanding transportation options in mind, and I am happy to see progressive infrastructure improvements in my district. I thank Gov. Tom Wolf and his administration for prioritizing projects such as these in my district and across Pennsylvania.”
The Presidential Boulevard project will help improve traffic in the area, as well as pedestrian safety by connecting Presidential Boulevard to City Avenue. This will provide safer entrance and exit options from the Target store complex, where congestion and accidents have been frequently reported. Other project improvements include lighting along Presidential Boulevard, drainage improvements, construction of a bus stop, and a bike and pedestrian path that will provide a safe, walkable alternative for residents from the Lincoln Green and Presidential City Apartments and visitors to the Courtyard by Marriott.
The Dreshertown Road Cross County project will manage construction of a 0.7-mile extension of the Cross County Trail and widening Virginia Drive/Dreshertown Road (State Route 2024) between Susquehanna Road and Beacon Hill/Bantry Drive. The project will also construct missing sidewalk segments, upgrade traffic signal systems to include pedestrian phases and make all intersection crosswalks and sidewalks ADA compliant.
The grants were awarded through the Multimodal Transportation Fund (MTF), which as established by Act 89 of 2013 to ensure the availability of safe and reliable transportation access in communities throughout the commonwealth. The program funds several types of improvement projects, including roads, walking and bike trails, rail, traffic safety, public transportation, and air transport. For more information about the Commonwealth Financing Authority or DCED, visit dced.pa.gov.
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