The City of Allentown has been awarded $384,000 in funding through the Planning & Demonstration Award. As part of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program, the money will be used to make Allentown’s streets safer and more useful for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists.
The new grant funding will allow projects to be completed including narrowing lanes with new pavement markings, installing highly-visible crosswalks, deploying temporary and permanent speed bumps near parks and schools, and testing other traffic-calming efforts.
Through this work, the City hopes to create a more accessible and welcoming environment for residents and visitors. The enhancements will target high-priority areas.
Mayor Matt Tuerk emphasized that each life lost in a traffic accident has been another family left devastated. He shared his hope that the federal resources will help to immediately eliminate traffic fatalities.
Allentown publicly launched its SS4A project in April with the goal of reducing the number of traffic accidents and resulting injuries and deaths. As part of this initiative, the City requested public input on problem spots throughout the city and possible solutions. More than 500 residents have already provided feedback.
Following the first round of engagement activities, the City decided to launch a second round. One last pop-up meeting will take place at City Hall on December 17 from 5:30-7:30pm.
The final SS4A Action Plan is expected to be completed by winter of 2025, at which point Allentown will be able to apply for implementation funding from the federal government.
