Luzerne Times

State funding amounting to nearly $1 million has been allocated for road projects in the Hazleton area and East Union Township, Schuylkill County. This was announced by Representative Dane Watro (R-Luzerne/Schuylkill) and Senator David Argall (R-Schuylkill/Carbon/Luzerne), who were instrumental in securing these grants through the Department of Community and Economic Development’s Multimodal Transportation Fund.

The grants are distributed as follows: the Hazleton Area School District will receive $850,000 for constructing an access road at its North Academic Campus in Hazle Township. East Union Township will receive $100,000 for improvements aimed at enhancing connectivity on several roads within the township.

"The Hazleton Area School District is looking to expand its core campus and meet the challenges of a growing student population," stated Watro. "The new access road will greatly improve school busing logistics, vehicular pickup and dropoff by parents, and help to reduce street congestion." He added that this project would enable the district to proceed with plans for additional facilities such as a new school building, fieldhouse, and other outdoor amenities.

Senator Argall commented on the significance of this funding: "This funding is a key piece of Hazleton Area School District’s plans." He emphasized that with increasing student enrollment, the project aims to enhance traffic flow safety for students, faculty, staff, and parents. "I’m grateful both projects received this highly competitive state support," he said.

Multimodal Transportation Fund grants are designated for developing, rehabilitating, and enhancing transportation assets within existing communities. This includes streetscape enhancements like lighting and sidewalks, pedestrian safety measures, connectivity improvements among transportation assets, and transit-oriented development initiatives.

These grants were approved by the Commonwealth Financing Authority responsible for overseeing program funding and investments supporting Pennsylvania's economic growth.