News Notices & Publications - State funds sought to relieve residential...

News Notices & Publications: State funds sought to relieve residential truck traffic

Title

State funds sought to relieve residential truck traffic

Announcement Type

News

Date Published

4/19/2012

Regional Spotlight

Short Description

Project would improve access to rail yard in Clinton County

Body

The SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority (JRA) is pursuing funds for an access road to relieve truck traffic through residential portions of South Avis, located in Clinton County’s Pine Creek Township. The JRA has applied for one million dollars through Pennsylvania’s Infrastructure Development Program (IDP).

The road, referred to as the Woodward Avenue Extension, would improve access from Route 220 to the South Avis Realty rail yard, which is comprised of eight companies employing a total of approximately 200. The rail yard is also home to Jersey Shore Steel. “South Avis Realty has been a great partner,” said Jeff Stover, Executive Director, JRA, “doing whatever was needed to accommodate the rail-related needs of its tenants.”

The rail yard has witnessed significant growth in recent years, due to its proximity to the Marcellus Shale natural gas industry, and the intermodal connection it provides between rail and truck transportation. As a result, annual truck trips through the residential streets of South Avis are between 20,000 and 30,000.

Plans call for 2,500 feet of improved roadway from the existing Woodward Avenue into the rail yard. There will be a direct connection off the Avis exit of Route 220. In addition to reducing truck traffic, it will improve access to an adjacent 25-acre parcel, leaving it more attractive and developable for companies servicing the region’s natural gas industry. The road will also serve the former Excel Homes facility, which has been purchased by a local investment group.

The total cost for the road construction is $1.2 million, which will be financed by $1 million from IDP, and $200,000 provided by South Avis Realty. The project is expected to generate significant levels of private sector investment from the industries and tenants which it will serve.

For more information, contact

Steve Kusheloff, Manager, Public Information
tel. 570-524-4491, e-mail skusheloff@seda-cog.org

# # #

Expires

10/19/2013

Keywords

south avis rail infrastructure truck