DALLAS TWP. — Walking along Lake Street with students, faculty, staff, administration and state and local officials, it was easy to see why Misericordia University stressed the importance of the more than 3,000-feet of sidewalk constructed along the busy roadway in Dallas borough and township.
The more than $1 million, two-phase initiative created a safe pedestrian path along a busy state road that averages more than 1,500 vehicles per day, according to a PennDOT traffic study completed before the first phase of the project began in 2016. The five-foot wide sidewalk begins at the North Gate of campus and extends south to the historic archway, the main entrance to the campus community, where it connects with the first phase of the project.
The sidewalk’s first phase – 1,000 feet of sidewalk – extends south from the archway in Dallas Twp. toward downtown Dallas Borough’s business district. A small bridge spans Toby’s Creek, allowing pedestrians to walk safely to the intersection of Center Hill Road and the resumption of neighborhood sidewalks on Lake Street, which extend downtown along both sides of the two-lane roadway.
The university’s ribbon-cutting ceremony near the North Gate of campus enabled Misericordia University officials to acknowledge and thank elected officials for their support and the financial investment by the state that enabled the project to become a reality.
In 2018, Misericordia received $320,870 through the Commonwealth Financing Authority Multimodal Transportation Fund to complete the second phase of the more than $580,000 project, which included 160-cubic yards of concrete for the 2,142-foot long sidewalk and a large retaining wall alongside McGeehan Field at the intersection of Townhouse Road and Lake Street. The project also includes safety lighting, detectable warning surfaces and crosswalks to residential areas nearby. Misericordia completed funding for the project by contributing almost $260,000 and committing to the maintenance of both phases of the sidewalk project during inclement weather and future repairs that may be necessary.
For the first phase of the safety initiative, Misericordia worked with the state Department of Community and Economic Development’s Northeast office to secure funding through the Keystone Communities Program (KCP) and the Luzerne County Local Share Account. KCP awarded $165,000 to the University, in partnership with Dallas Twp., to complete the funding component of the more than $430,000 project. The University also received $150,000 through the Luzerne County Local Share Account in support of the project. Misericordia paid the more than $115,000 balance.
Thomas Caffrey represented Gov. Tom Wolf’s office at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, while Dallas Twp. Supervisor Bill Grant and Dallas Twp. solicitor Tom Mosca, and Dallas Borough Mayor Tim Carroll also were recognized for their roles in making the project become a reality. After the ceremony, the University’s guests and campus community enjoyed light refreshments.
