Valley Twp. gets $1.5M to reopen road

WEST CHESTER >> Valley Township will receive $1.5 million in state funding to repair and reopen Wagontown Road, state Sen. Carolyn Comitta and state Rep. Dan Williams announced.

The project, funded through PennDOT’s Multimodal Transportation Fund, calls for reconstructing a collapsed portion of Wagontown Road, including an approximate 400foot concrete retaining wall and associated drainage and paving improvements.

The project, which is estimated to cost $2.1 million in total, will result in reopening Wagontown Road to safely restore vehicular connectivity.

“This is an important investment to reopen the road, reduce traffic congestion, and help drive economic growth in Valley and the surrounding region,” Comitta said. “I look forward to continuing to work with local municipalities and my legislative colleagues to support the transportation infrastructure needs of communities like Valley Township and others across Chester County.

“This $1.5 million infrastructure grant will help rebuild a portion of Wagontown Road, making it possible to reopen the road to motorists,” Williams said. “This investment will help improve the local economy by making travel more accessible in the area, increasing motorist and pedestrian safety, and decreasing environmental impacts on the road. I’m very glad that this project can now move forward to completion thanks to this grant.”

PennDOT’s Multimodal Transportation Fund provides grants to ensure that a safe and reliable system of transportation is available to the residents of this commonwealth. The program is intended to provide financial assistance to municipalities, councils of governments, businesses, economic development organizations, public transportation agencies, rail freight, passenger rail, and ports in order to improve transportation assets that enhance communities, pedestrian safety, and transit revitalization.

PennDOT evaluated the applications and made selections based on criteria such as safety benefits, regional economic conditions, the technical and financial feasibility, job creation, energy efficiency, and operational sustainability.

“Investing in our communities continues to be critical to moving the economy forward in 2021,” PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian said. “Making roadways more accessible for all modes of travel assures that we are making continued business connections for the future and keeps transportation an integral part of daily living.”

The Wagontown Road project comes as part of four transportation projects in Chester County set to receive more than $6.2 million in support through PennDOT’s Multimodal Transportation Fund.

Funding for these projects comes through Act 89 of 2013, Pennsylvania’s Comprehensive Transportation Funding Plan, which increased transit funding and established dedicated multimodal funding for aviation, passenger rail, rail freight, port, and bicycle-pedestrian projects.

Additional multimodal funds awarded to highway and bridge projects in

Chester County were $2.19 million to Kennett Township, $1.69 million for West Brandywine Township, and $824,500 for West Nottingham Township.

Statewide, 43 highway, bridge, rail, and bike and pedestrian projects in 21

counties were selected for $45.9 million in total grant awards in this round of funding.

The next round of Multimodal grant applications will open in September 2021. For more information about the program, visit www. penndot.gov and click on “Multimodal Program” under the “Projects & Programs” button.