By The Keystone Newspaper ‘Connectivity’ project emphasizes safety, walkability, community history
By Bethany McDonald
In April 2021, the Commonwealth Financing Authority awarded the Borough of Kutztown a $674,844 grant to institute a multimodal transportation project. The project aims to reinvest in the history of the community and develop Kutztown to be safely walkable.
Throughout the summer of 2024, construction workers have poured concrete into new sidewalks and built crosswalks for public safety. To prioritize student safety for the upcoming KU school year, the sidewalks on Normal Avenue are nearly completed.
“It’s going to improve pedestrian safety, improve traffic control, and enhance property values. It will enhance the quality of life for pedestrians and students,” Borough Manager Gabriel Khalife said.
“They took care of all the areas that affect KU and the local Kutztown school district as school starts,” Khalife said.
The grant is being completed as scheduled, and the project is aimed to be finished by September. Khalife said that they are focusing on constructing areas planned to fit within the grant dollars, in addition to the borough’s contribution.
“We (the Borough of Kutztown) applied for a more robust grant but only received about 60% of what we applied for, so we made adjustments from the full print. We received about $675,000 and the Borough is putting in about $150,000 of our own money,” Khalife said.
Due to the grant not being fully funded by the state, Khalife said they had to reduce some areas of construction to fit within the budget.
“Hopefully, the full blueprint can be completed in future years but what is being done now will improve the quality of life and safety,” Khalife said.
KU professor Derek Mace, who serves on Kutztown Borough Council, is happy to see that that the sidewalks from the university to the area near the Kutztown Elementary School are nearly complete. “It’s been a long process and we’re happy this will benefit Borough residents and the KU community. It’s a physical reminder of the ongoing relationship between KU and KASD,” he said.
KU’s community liaison and government relations assistant Sandy Green said the primary reason for applying for the grant was by presenting the desired transportation route to the council as a self-guided art and history walking tour of Kutztown.
The route will display Kutztown’s architecture, history and culture for pedestrians to enjoy while increasing public safety.
The walkable tour will start at Kutztown University’s Old Main, leading to Normal Avenue, showcasing the Kutztown Historical Society. The route then leads to Kutztown Elementary School where a crosswalk will be implemented easing onto Saucony Trail. The trail then leads to Basin Street, connecting to James Alley leading to the park, linking to Main Street.
Green said that the walkable tour would allow for sidewalk connectivity, new sidewalks, ADA compliance, crosswalks, and more to ensure safer foot traffic and better traffic flow.