Delmont will seek grant to develop ‘active transportation plan’ for borough
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As Delmont officials work out the particulars of a recreation plan for the borough, volunteers are pursuing a state health department grant that could help fund the development of a transportation plan.
Both are planks of an overall comprehensive plan, something the borough has been working on in small chunks for the past few years.
Delmont Visionary Committee member AnnaMarie Stackiewicz proposed applying for one of the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s “WalkWorks” grants, aimed at establishing new or improved pedestrian, bicycle and public transportation systems.
The committee’s primary goal is to develop a trail spur leading into the borough from the eventual fifth phase of the Westmoreland Heritage Trail. The fifth phase — which includes the monumental and likely expensive task of crossing Route 66 in some way — will connect existing trail segments that currently end near Lincoln Avenue in Export and Athena Drive in Delmont, forming a single trail that runs from Trafford to Saltsburg.
“Through the grant, we can get up to $20,000 to hire a company that will help us develop and write an active transportation plan,” Stackiewicz said.
Officials from the Smithton and Scottdale areas adopted an active transportation plan in December 2020, which was funded through state health department and federal Centers for Disease Control grants.
“The plan really lays out what the community wants to see in the borough,” said Barbara Hauge, a landscape architect who was part of the development team for the Smithton-Scottdale plan. “Here, it can help with trail connectivity.”
Hauge and John Turack, director for the Smart Growth Partnership of Westmoreland County, said they could help Stackiewicz and the committee prepare the grant application at no cost.
Applications are due May 15.
“Having a plan like this positions you to pursue grant funding in the future,” Hauge told council members at their meeting Tuesday night. “Funding sources look at this favorably because it’s developed with the help of the community.”
That also is the borough’s rationale behind developing an overall comprehensive plan: many grant funding sources want to see that a town has a plan in place for the specific use of grant money.
Stackiewicz said the committee is not asking for borough funding, only for a letter of intent indicating their desire to apply for the grant.
“We plan to do a lot of fundraising to help make this happen,” she said.
In addition, the committee is looking to place bicycle racks at several borough locations including Shields Farm, Newhouse Park and the Rose Wigfield Parklet, and is also in talks with private property owners like Ianni’s Pizza.
Council voted 6-0 to explore the placement of bike racks on borough property.
“Everyone is excited about getting them,” Stackiewicz said.