According to City Manager Gregory Wilson and Planner Abbey Roberts, 2025 saw many ongoing and phased portions of projects completed.

STREETS & STORMWATER

The city upgraded portions of the streets and stormwater in the Sunset Pines neighborhood in 2025, adding another $380,000 in improvements to the neighborhood that, since 2019 have totaled more than $1,636,000.

The completion of Phase 3A marks another step in a years-long process to bring stormwater management to the development.

LAURA JAMESON/THE EXPRESS PA Governor Josh Shapiro, at the podium, is joined by, from left, PA State Police Colonel Christopher Paris, Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, Clinton County Commissioner Angela Harding, Lock Haven Mayor Joel Long, and LHPD Chief Matthew Rickard.

In 2026, the city will be investing $479,000 in paving the remaining portion of Spring Street, as well as portions of Stone Alley, N. Third and N. Fourth streets, and if bids come in as estimated, the remaining portion of Race Street as well, Wilson said.

In 2025 the city worked with PennDOT for the $762,000 jointly funded replacement of the traffic signal on Bellefonte Avenue where both Barton Street and Second Avenue cross. This improved the safety of the intersection for both drivers and pedestrians.

“This leaves only the signaled intersection at the crossroads of the university left to be upgraded in the city limits to bring all traffic signals in the city up to current federal standards,” Wilson said.

Also this year, the city heard from its residents who requested a quarterly stormwater fee instead of a tax increase to replace stormwater infrastructure including underground drainpipes, inlets, curbs, gutters and sidewalks.

“Much of this infrastructure was installed in the 1940s, and this year the city will begin implementing the quarterly fee and start the multi-million-dollar improvements necessary to carry away rainwater and storm runoff to the river,” Wilson said.

MEGAN MUTHLER/THE EXPRESS A line of eager customers wait to be one of the first 100 customers to receive free Dunkin Donuts for a year during the business’s official grand reopening.

USDA SMALL BUSINESS LOAN FUND

This year, the city awarded more than $176,400 in low-interest loans to local city-based small businesses with another $250,000 available for those with a desire to sustain or expand their business in the city

HOME IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM

Through the HOME grant program, the city spent more than $34,000 this year, totaling $216,000 in the last four years to rehab residential homes with upgrades to make them more energy efficient enabling residents to afford to stay in their homes.

NEW POLICE STATION

Work continued on the new police station, with $259,774 of the estimated $3.8 million project expended in 2025, Wilson said.

“$1.5 million of the project is grant funded and is a return of federal and state taxes to our community that our residents already paid,” he said.

PCCD RECRUITMENT

INCENTIVES GRANT

In 2025, the city sent one individual to the police academy with support from grant funding from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. This individual is now a full time officer with the Lock Haven City Police Department.

ZONING & SALDO

The city began the process of updating the Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance with the support of funding from the PA Department of Community and Economic Development Strategic Management Planning grant and Community Development Block Grant. In 2025, $48,366.17 was expended toward the project that is expected to be completed by the middle of 2026.

CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT IMPROVEMENTS

New benches were installed in the central business district through more than $6,799 in contributions from local residents. The benches were a collaboration of the city and Keystone Central School District designed by the city’s Project Manager, Carter Simcox, who is a graduate of the Pennsylvania College of Technology with a degree in building science and sustainable design. Benches can continue to be purchased through the Planning Department at a cost of $350. Interested individuals can call 570-893-5904 for more details.

FACADE GRANTS

In cooperation with Downtown Lock Haven Inc., the city applied for, was awarded and distributed more than $50,000 in grant funding for façade improvements for city-based businesses. Façade upgrades for 7-10 businesses will take place in the spring of 2026.

ACTIVE ARTS CORRIDOR

This year, the city continued its investment in the arts with more than $32,000 expended for the Active Arts Corridor that has provided for many of the tremendous murals enjoyed by residents and visitors to our community.

LINKING LOCK HAVEN

The city’s first active transportation plan, Linking Lock Haven, was completed in September 2025. The plan focuses on increasing safety and mobility modes of transportation beyond vehicles. Some of the major topics of the plan include the connection of the Bald Eagle Valley Trail to the city, completion of the Active Arts Corridor and increasing safety and visibility of pedestrians and bicyclists in the city.

PARK IMPROVEMENTS

Hoberman Park

“At long last, the city will complete the multi-million dollar grant funded makeover of Hoberman Park in the spring of 2026 with a planned ribbon cutting that will include the federal, state and local partners and the Hoberman family who are among the hundreds of local hands that have worked to make these improvements happen,” Wilson said.

Along with its new skate park, the park has new multiuse and basketball courts, a walking path, new pavilions and restrooms, a community garden, game tables, open green space and a new playground.

Hoberman Park upgrades were funded in part through grants from SEDA-COG and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Hanna Park

“As the city continues to improve its public spaces for the benefit of our residents, more than $400,000 has been awarded from state and federal grants to improve Hanna Park,” Wilson said. “As always, the city has requested and received feedback from neighborhood residents on what they want and need in the park to improve their area.”

WATER COLLECTION

IMPROVEMENTS

The city completed $5,278,950 in improvements to the spillway and crest of the city-owned Ohl Dam & Reservoir in Greene Township. When full, the reservoir stores 576 million gallons in reserve water for the city’s water customers.

It also used $180,000 this year on the city’s new water wells in Youngdale, almost $1.9 million to date of the $9.8 million project that includes modern safety upgrades to the pressure regulating valves that benefit the water mains that serve the city’s customers as well as those of the Suburban Water Authority.

WATER DISTRIBUTION IMPROVEMENTS

So far, the city has utilized $177,000 for improvements to its water distribution system including finding and eliminating more than 60 leaks in the water distribution lines. Another $106,000 has been invested in upgrading meters that have aged out.

“The city has also made progress with the removal of the Upper Castanea Dam, investing $21,546.33 this year toward the breaching of the dam,” Wilson said.

It also obtained a grant for $1.1 million to restore that portion of Harvey’s Run to meet the Class A Wild Trout Waters awarded to the rest of the stream by removing the dam which was originally installed in 1869, he continued.

AIRPORT

The William T. Piper Memorial Airport continues to see improvements through efforts made by city staff.

“Thanks to successful grant applications through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (AID), more than $1,014,000 was invested in capital upgrades to the city-owned Piper Memorial Airport,” Wilson said. “More than 60 percent of that was for the installation of the self-serve fuel station requested by local and visiting pilots.”

The city also made improvements to the access road and parking area and invested in security upgrades.

LOOKING AHEAD

Both Roberts and Wilson said the city continues to look ahead to 2026.

“The City of Lock Haven continues to be focused on increasing the quality of life for all residents as they live, work and spend time in the city with friends and neighbors. By diversifying where we invest grant and taxpayer monies, we can reach every resident and make a positive impact,” Wilson said.