PHOTO PROVIDED Clinton County Commissioners Angela Harding, Jim Russo and Jeff Snyder are pictured during the board’s voting session on Thursday morning.

PHOTO PROVIDED
Clinton County Planner/Engineer Steve Gibson speaks about various items from his department that appeared on Thursday’s agenda, at a work session Monday morning.

LOCK HAVEN — Clinton County Government is taking steps to make state Route 150 between Flemington Borough and Bald Eagle Township safer for pedestrians.

At its voting session, the county’s board of commissioners unanimously approved an application of $574,797 for a PennDOT MultiModal grant.

During the work session Monday, Planner/Engineer Steve Gibson explained, if awarded, the grant funding would be put towards phase one of the improvements.

“As you are aware, there are no MultiModal capabilities to go from Flemington to Bald Eagle Township and Hogan Boulevard,” he said.

Gibson expanded on this, speaking about the safety issues for those who are walking, biking or riding a motorized scooter in this section of state Route 150. The county hopes to create safer paths for non-motorized travel.

“The sidewalks disappear, forcing people to walk on the shoulder of a very busy state highway. If you are handicapped or have trouble getting around it is almost impossible to get from one side of the street to the other. If you’re on a bicycle you have to ride on the shoulder. If you’re in a power chair you’re also on the side of the road because there’s no ADA ramps,” Gibson explained.

Phase 1 of the project will see sidewalks between the Goodwill Hose Fire Company on High Street to the bridge at Bald Eagle Canal ripped out and replaced with ADA compliant walkways. It will also see a pedestrian bridge installed, separate from the one which sees vehicle traffic.

“One of the areas of concern is that the bridge that goes over Bald Eagle Canal does not have adequate facilities. So we’re proposing to build a pedestrian bridge just downstream, maybe 20 feet, off that bridge so that pedestrians and bicyclists are completely 100 percent separated, Gibson said.

Gibson noted that right now, with recent snow, there is so much “jammed up” near the current walkway the bridge has that no one can cross it easily.

The grant will need to be a 30 percent match — or $172,349.15 — and will cover engineering, design, administrative services, construction inspection and construction of the project, Gibson said.

The board approved a number of other requests from its planning department, which were presented by Gibson at the work session earlier in the week.

One was the professional services agreement between the county and SEDA-COG to assist the planning office with intake screening for its Home Grant Program. The program exists to offer those of Lower to Moderate Income (LMI) the chance to receive funding to make impactful improvements to their home. The county is receiving $400,000 for its program.

“It takes a home that is potentially nearing blight and we take about $60,000 to $70,000 per home out of the $400,000 to remediate to remove it from blighted conditions. That’s fixing the roofs, the windows, making porches more ADA compliant, removing asbestos, lead piping, fixing electrical,” Gibson explained at the work session.

The planning department utilizes a list compiled by STEP, Inc. to determine what homes will receive the funding. He noted, however, that interested individuals may contact the planning department to have their home taken into consideration.

“We’ll check out the home, talk to them about their LMI status and then they can fully apply,” he said.

From there, with the commissioners unanimous approval on Thursday morning, SEDA-COG will step in to handle intakes.

According to Gibson, it will cost $200 per intake and will be covered by the grant.

The board also approved a revision to its Fiscal Year 2022 CDBG Subrecipient Agreement and 2023 CDBG Subrecipient Agreement with Renovo Borough Water Authority involving the 12th Street Water Main Project.

According to Gibson, since the authority combined with the Western Clinton County Municipal Authority, the planning department requested the agreement be shifted to the WCCMA. One of the funds is for the water main replacement and the other is for repaving the street following the work, he said.

“We already talked to the (WCCMA) and they’re fine with taking on the scope of work,” Gibson said on Monday.

Both revisions were approved by the board.

The board also heard a request from the planning department which involved approving an agreement with Leidy Township for Flood Plain Administration.

Gibson said on Monday Leidy Township rarely receives many applications related to flood plain permits. He told the board it would be similar to engineering agreements with other municipalities, in which the county is reimbursed for its services.

The final request from the planning department was approved of a new 2024 CDBG Subrecipient Agreement between the county and the Clinton County Historical Society for blight remediation at the Farrandsville Furnace. The total amount is $22,225.