ALTOONA – To improve infrastructure in and around Altoona, Rep. Lou Schmitt (R-Blair) and Sen. Judy Ward (R-Blair/Fulton/Cumberland/Franklin/Huntington) announced needed grant funding through the Pennsylvanian Department of Transportation’s Multimodal Transportation Fund.
The funding will improve the Altoona Transportation Center, a hub for passenger rail service and local and regional bus lines, as well as a stretch of road in Allegheny Township.
“The funding for the train station lays the groundwork for the proposed addition of a second round-trip passenger train between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh via Altoona that should be up and running in the coming years,” Schmitt said. “It is a piece of the puzzle that would continue Altoona’s rail history well into the future.”
Altoona received $1.29 million to revitalize the Altoona Transportation Center, a multimodal transportation hub for passenger rail and local and regional bus services, by completing public safety and connectivity improvements, renovating utilities, installing new wayfinding and access signage, updating passenger spaces and transfer areas, and providing more reliable passenger access.
“Altoona’s Transportation Center is the multimodal transportation hub for residents, businesses, and visitors to the area and is key to the downtown revitalization of the city,” said Ward. “These much-needed renovations to the center will make it safer and more reliable, creating a vital asset that will benefit the city and the surrounding area for many years to come.”
Allegheny Township received $454,704 to improve traffic flow and accommodate truck turning movements at the intersection of Theater Drive and U.S. 22 (Route 764) by adding a 300-linear-foot right turning lane on Theater Drive, upgrading the existing signal, completing drainage improvements and moving utilities.
“Upgrades to this busy intersection will allow large trucks to navigate turns easier, supporting economic development and transportation safety goals,” said Ward. “The business park off of Theater Drive is the home to several major employers in the area, and these improvements will provide better access to these businesses and make this intersection safer for traveling motorists.”
The Multimodal Transportation Fund provides grants to encourage economic development and ensure that a safe and reliable system of transportation is available to the residents of the Commonwealth.