April 26, 2023 − Sen. Nick Miller (D-Lehigh/Northampton), Rep. Peter Schweyer (D-Lehigh), Rep. Josh Siegel (D-Lehigh) and Rep. Mike Schlossberg (D-Lehigh) announced today that two entities in Lehigh County will be receiving nearly $2 million in funding from the federal Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside.
Allentown’s Community Bike Works will receive $440,000 for the Earn a Bike education programs. The city’s Public Works Department will receive $1.5 million for pedestrian safety upgrades at 25 city schools to help reduce the number of crashes for vulnerable road users within school zones.
“Pedestrian safety, especially near schools, is vital,” said Miller. “Unfortunately, we have seen firsthand the dangers staff and students face walking near schools. By installing new school flashers, pedestrian flashers, crosswalk pavement markings, ADA compliant ramps and signage, I am confident that we will have a positive impact on the walkers in our local community.”
Rep. Peter Schweyer (D-Lehigh) added, “In my neighborhood, we have kids playing every day, folks walking their dogs and a busy school. That can be said about most every part of town. We need to ensure that people are safe, and these traffic calming measures will save lives.”
“I am strongly committed to eliminating roadway fatalities in Allentown by slowing down traffic,” added Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk. “This grant will help us make our streets safer for all users through critically needed investments in infrastructure.”
For students participating in Earn a Bike, they learn about bike safety, tools and maintenance. Once they complete the required courses, they earn a refurbished bike and new helmet.
“Earn a Bike is a fantastic resource for our families here in the Lehigh Valley,” said Miller. “It instills a knowledge of bike safety and necessities at a young age. By equipping children with a new-to-them bike, it opens up a whole new world.”
Rep. Josh Siegel (D-Lehigh) added, “Community Bike Works is a valued community partner, and I am proud to be able to support their mission to bring the love of biking to more of our students. As we all work to make Allentown a more pedestrian- and bike-friendly city, the additional funding will help the city make the necessary improvements to the neighborhoods around our schools and make our streets safer for all of us.”
“I am proud to work with the city and my colleagues to make traveling in Allentown safer for everyone,” said Rep. Mike Schlossberg (D-Lehigh). “Just as every student deserves access to a world-class education, they also deserve a safe pathway to their schools.”
“Community safety is a huge priority of mine, and I am pleased to see these two projects receive much-deserved funding so we can continue to keep those in our community protected,” added Miller.
The federal Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside provides funding for projects and activities defined as transportation alternatives, including on- and off-road pedestrian and bicycle facilities, infrastructure projects for improving non-driver access to public transportation and enhanced mobility, community improvement activities and environmental mitigation, trails that serve a transportation purpose and safe routes to school projects.