DUBOIS – The public is invited to participate in an open house concerning transportation issues. The open house will be held at the DuBois Country Club on Feb. 21 from 6:00 to 8:30. Area officials are hosting the event to provide interested citizens with the opportunity to learn about transportation conditions, trends and issues affecting the area’s transportation system.
“We are especially interested in learning what the public perceives to be the most important issues affecting mobility in the area,” according to Dick Castonguay, Sandy Township manager and a member of a 17-member steering committee guiding the overall planning effort. “There has been a lot of data collection activity over the past several weeks, with origin-destination studies done with motorists, along with a review of various transportation planning and traffic data,” Castonguay said.
The transportation plan is being developed alongside a multi-municipal comprehensive plan. In addition to Sandy Township, there are four other municipalities participating in the planning effort, including: Falls Creek Borough, the City of DuBois, and Brady and Huston Townships. Preliminary results from on ongoing community survey will also be shared as part of the transportation open house.
“DuBois is at a crossroads with I-80, US 219 and US 119 criss-crossing the area,” Castonguay said. “Some of the initial data we have seen suggests that the area needs to take a hard look at incidents on I-80 and their impacts on local roadways, deteriorating bridges, future public transportation services, aviation, bicycle and pedestrian movements and rail freight.”
Meeting participants will view a short slide show providing background on the study and the area being analyzed. Stations throughout the meeting room will provide information on the area’s transportation and traffic issues and an opportunity to discuss various aspects of the study. Participants will have the opportunity to weigh in on questions such as where development should and should not occur, what about our communities we should preserve and enhance, and how transportation can better serve the area.
Projects ultimately identified through the planning process will be incorporated into the region’s long range transportation plan and become candidates for consideration into the transportation improvement program, as administered by the North Central PA Regional Planning and Development Commission (NCPRPDC).
The planning effort is being funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation as well as the participating municipalities.
For further information, readers are encouraged to contact the planning project manager, Brian Funkhouser at Gannett Fleming, at 800-233-1055, Dick Castonguay at Sandy Township at 814-371-4220, or Amy Kessler at NCPRPDC at 814-773-3162.