Several municipalities seek Luzerne County American Rescue Plan funding

Editor’s note: This story is part of a periodic look at projects on the request list for Luzerne County’s American Rescue Plan funding.

Municipalities throughout Luzerne County are seeking county American Rescue Plan allocations to fund a range of projects beyond ones previously reported for emergency response or water/sewer work, according to a review of the pre-applications.

Council has approximately $96.1 million left to earmark from its $112.89 million federal American Rescue allocation.

Butler Township is requesting $500,000, with a pitch that the county will receive a “direct return on its investment.”

The $500,000 would help pay for a new road department garage estimated at $1.75 million, the pre-application said.

In turn, the larger garage will allow the township to increase its road maintenance fleet and take over more county-owned roads as part of the county’s goal to reduce its road and bridge inventory to help the county budget, it said.

The township recently assumed ownership of 3.4 miles of West Foothills Drive, and the municipality is willing to do the same with the remaining 10.6 miles of county roads running through the township if the county brings the roadways up to standard, said township Supervisor Vice Chairman Michael Reich. These county-owned roads include Police Grove, Old Airport and Honey Hole.

“We know the county wants to get out of the road and bridge department, and we’re willing to help them in that regard. But we need some help too,” Reich said.

The township’s road crew is struggling to squeeze the township’s growing fleet inside the current garage on West Butler Drive that was constructed in the 1970s. There is no room to expand at this site, and the structure has a leaking roof, the pre-application said.

Its new structure would be 230- by 80 feet with 11 garage bays on land the township acquired years ago on Mill Mountain Road, Reich said.

The township is attempting to secure the remaining funds needed for the project, he said. Township roadways also are increasing with the addition of new developments.

“I know there are many fine projects seeking county funding, but this is badly needed and will also help the county financially if it invests in this,” Reich said.

Land bank

The new Lower South Valley Council of Governments is seeking $500,000 toward a $575,000 blight reduction initiative to be handled by the new Lower South Valley Land Bank, its pre-application said.

This land bank includes Wilkes-Barre and Nanticoke, the boroughs of Ashley and Plymouth and the townships of Hanover, Plymouth and Newport. The Greater Nanticoke Area School District also is participating, it said.

The land bank will acquire blighted, vacant, abandoned and tax-delinquent properties to abate contaminants and hazards, remove structurally unsound buildings and, when possible, restore structures to address the health, safety and affordable housing needs of low- to moderate-income residents, it said.

County council had previously approved two American Rescue allocations — $500,000 each — for blight-targeting land banks in the Hazleton and Pittston areas.

Recreation

Five municipal requests involve community recreation projects.

Conyngham borough is seeking $198,500 toward a $238,000 project to complete a pedestrian trail and boardwalk at the Conyngham Valley Nature Park, which provides public access to a scenic and ecologically diverse landscape.

The borough also is requesting $500,000 for a $1 million infrastructure and safety project at the Whispering Willows Park, with the remainder to be covered by a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation multimodal grant.

This project will add a secondary access route to the park, which is currently accessible only through a private, narrow road that the borough cannot widen. It also will create a new parking area adjacent to the recreation facility that will serve both the park and downtown businesses. The borough is attempting to preserve 100 existing downtown jobs and promote business growth, it said.

Public use of the Whispering Willows Park has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, the pre-application said.

Rice Township has applied for $3 million in county American Rescue funds to help pay for a $5 million multipurpose community center the municipality wants to construct. It is attempting to round up donations and other funds to cover the difference.

This center would include basketball courts that can be used for pickleball, volleyball, field hockey and other sports, it said. The structure also would include spaces for veterans, senior citizens and a community meeting room.

In Ashley, borough officials are seeking $1.5 million for a project in that amount to pay for Centennial Park improvements, including drainage, rain gardens, a playground area, benches, picnic tables, fencing, landscaping and a basketball court. This funding also would spruce up Main Street with sidewalks, curbs, trees, lighting and drainage work, it said.

Swoyersville is requesting $250,000 to redesign and update borough parks.

Industrial parks

West Hazleton applied for $800,000 toward rehabilitation of the Jayce Drive Bridge over Black Creek, which carries stormwater for West Hazleton, Hazle Township and Hazleton.

A PennDOT bridge inspection concluded the bridge must remain closed until all repairs are completed, and the borough does not have enough funds to finish required improvements and reopen the span to industrial traffic, the pre-application said.

Jaycee Drive is the main access in and out of the Valmont Industrial Park. With the bridge out of commission, approximately 2,000 vehicles — including 800 trucks — must be detoured daily through a residential neighborhood not designed to accommodate this traffic flow, it said.

“It is critical that this shovel-ready project be completed to protect 50 businesses and 2,500 jobs in the borough, Hazle Township and county,” the pre-application said.

Borough officials have been diligent applying for funding, but PennDOT has indicated the project is not eligible for federal or state bridge funding, it said.

In another request, Hazle Township is seeking $2 million to address railroad crossing and road problems that pose a safety hazard to motorists in the Humboldt Industrial Park, the pre-application said.

These repairs will make the park safer for the public and more than 10,000 Humboldt employees, it said.

Transportation

Wilkes-Barre’s Parking Authority has requested $2.5 million to fund new electronic ticket machines, “pay-on-foot” exit machines, electric vehicle charging stations, new elevators and modifications for the disabled at the three city parking structures it owns and manages, its pre-application said.

The authority’s financial situation has “declined substantially” since the start of the coronavirus pandemic due to a decrease in motorists using its facilities, which collectively hold 1,300 parking spaces, it said, noting the authority also is attempting to secure other funding.

Hazleton Public Transit is seeking $22,000 toward a $700,000 project to purchase blighted property to create a park-and-ride facility, with the rest coming from state funds, its pre-application said.

What’s next?

At the request of some council members, the administration sought the American Rescue pre-applications to ensure no needs were overlooked.

The county received $186.8 million in funding requests as a result — $171.58 million from more than 100 outside entities and $15.26 million from county government departments, the administration has said.

Council is scheduled to start discussing how it wants to proceed during Tuesday’s work session. Eligibility of projects also must be determined.

Council Chairwoman Kendra Radle said council also must decide what it wants to do about pre-applications that are arriving after the submission deadline.