Improvements are coming to the 500 and 600 blocks of Chew Street in the Heart of the City neighborhood thanks to an infusion of state and city dollars and funding committed by Sacred Heart HealthCare System.<\/p>\n
Sacred Heart HealthCare System President & CEO John Nespoli made the announcement at a late morning news conference alongside Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski, State Senator Pat Browne and State Representative Mike Schlossberg.<\/p>\n
The state is providing $300,000 to Sacred Heart through the Multimodal Transportation Fund.\u00a0 The city is contributing $100,000 in capital funds and Sacred Heart has committed $75,000.<\/p>\n
The 500 and 600 blocks of Chew Street are a key corridor that connects Sacred Heart Hospital\u2019s campus to Allentown\u2019s Seventh Street Main Street Program.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur neighborhoods are the lifeblood of the city,\u201d said Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski.\u00a0 \u201cAt the core, the services we provide on a daily basis are for the residents of our neighborhoods.\u00a0 If we are going to continue to grow as a city, then we have to meet the needs of our neighborhoods.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI applaud Governor Corbett and the Commonwealth Financing Authority for releasing these funds through the Multimodal Transportation Fund to help with this important project,\u201d Senator Pat Browne said.\u00a0 \u201cThe investment that Sacred Heart Hospital, the City of Allentown and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are making to improve this key corridor through the heart of the city is vital to the goal of revitalizing and re-energizing downtown Allentown.\u00a0 Sacred Heart provides a valuable service to this community.\u00a0 These infrastructure and streetscape improvements will increase safety and make the hospital more accessible to those in need of assistance.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis streetscape improvement plan will increase property values, enhance safety and increase the livability and commerce in the Heart of the City neighborhood,\u201d said Schlossberg.\u00a0 \u201cIt represents yet another major commitment to the area from Mayor Pawlowski, Senator Browne and me.\u00a0 It also serves as a demonstration of the importance of the transportation plan that I voted for last year.\u00a0 It\u2019s also worth noting that gas is $.30 cheaper today than it was when we enacted Act 89.\u00a0 For anyone who questions why we voted for these transportation improvements, here is yet another answer.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFor over 100 years, Sacred Heart has been a major part of the city and this neighborhood,\u201d Nespoli said. \u00a0\u201cThe Heart of the City Phase II will further connect residents with the hospital and our patients and staff to the businesses along Seventh Street.\u00a0 Ultimately our neighborhood will be safer and cleaner and Sacred Heart is proud to be a partner on this project.\u201d<\/p>\n
Streetscape and pedestrian safety issues will be improved in the project area by: 1) installing 34 pedestrian scale streetlights. The streetlights will be identical to pedestrian streetlights that have been installed throughout the campus of Sacred Heart Hospital; 2) Removal of 24 dying\/overgrown shade trees and replaced with 40 new trees; 3) Repaving and restriping the 500 and 600 blocks of Chew Street.<\/p>\n
Pedestrian safety will be improved by: 1) Constructing 19 ADA approved handicapped ramps for the intersections that do not have modern ramps; 2) Installing high-visibility crosswalks at the 6th and Chew and 7th and Chew Street intersections.<\/p>\n
Planning for the Heart of the City Initiative in this area of the city began in 2009 with work beginning in 2011.<\/p>\n
The initial multi-phase public\/private partnership project budget included $400,000 from the city\u2019s capital budget, $200,000 in federal stimulus funds, a $300,000 contribution from The Stabler Foundation and $10,000 from The Century Fund.<\/p>\n
A bus pull-in area was constructed at Sacred Heart School on the east side of 4th<\/sup> Street and on the north side of Chew Street in front of Central Catholic High School along with sidewalk bump-outs.\u00a0 The city installed paved crosswalks and additional crosswalk improvements at the intersection of 4th<\/sup> and Chew and 5th<\/sup> and Chew.\u00a0 The work included installation of 54 attractive pedestrian lights and tree plantings along the 4th<\/sup> and Chew Street corridors.<\/p>\n Press Release provided by:<\/p>\n Mike Moore Improvements are coming to the 500 and 600 blocks of Chew Street in the Heart of the City neighborhood thanks to an infusion of state and city dollars and funding … Continue reading FUNDING ANNOUNCED FOR HEART OF THE CITY<\/span>
\nCommunications Manager
\nOffice of the Mayor
\nMike.Moore@allentownpa.gov<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"