Lemont Streetscape Project Accelerated

College Township council unanimously approved a proposal on March 14 for the final design of the Lemont streetscape project in anticipation of grant applications.

After the Pike Street Traffic-Calming and Streetscape Project was first proposed more than three years ago to slow traffic and make downtown Lemont more pedestrian friendly in the process, College Township council and staff are making more recent advances to finalize the project’s design and apply for grants.

Last October council decided to move forward with the streetscape project as it was originally proposed, meaning two lanes of parallel parking along Pike Street, sidewalks and other streetscape amenities would be included in the final design.

But the decision to accelerate the project came when the township signed an agreement with Delta Development to more actively seek grant funding. Delta said it is anticipating that the township could receive a grant come the end of this year, meaning the township needs a final design of the project in its pocket.

“We need to be in the position that if and when funding through grants becomes available, we actually have a project that is already vetted and designed and basically ready to go,” said Adam Brumbaugh, the College Township manager.

If the township receives a grant this year, Brumbaugh said construction could theoretically begin in the spring of 2017. However, he said it is not clear whether the township will receive the grant it is applying for this year.

But in anticipation of a grant, council approved the master plan concept and authorized staff to proceed with negotiating a consultant agreement with Keller Engineers to develop a final design in October 2015, according to Kent Baker, the township engineer.

Then on March 14, council the proposal for Keller to survey, design and permit the project. The proposed fee for the final design is $97,175, which Baker said is more than the $30,000 originally budgeted for the project this fiscal year.

“That figure did not anticipate going into the final design phase,” Brumbaugh said. “That’s why there was difference. When the time table got moved up, the budget for 2016 didn’t correspond.”

But, Baker assured council that cost savings on other projects this year would make up for the additional funding needed for the final design. For example, a proposed walkway along Boalsburg Road was budgeted at $50,000, but is expected to cost closer to $18,000. The township is also delaying a bike path project, which was budgeted for $71,000, to a future year.

“All of this more than makes up the additional money we need for this final design project,” Baker said.

Before voting yes for the proposal, councilmember Carla Stilson asked that council host additional public input sessions.

Since 2012, the township has hosted a number of public forums to address concerns that many community members and business owners had, especially regarding the proposed parallel parking along Pike Street. Many community members and business owners were concerned that parallel parking long Pike Street would make traffic worse and make finding parking downtown more difficult.

Brumbaugh said that part of the proposal that council approved with Keller Engineer includes an analysis of options to help facilitate some of the businesses operating off Pike Street to provide for rear parking and property access that they don’t have at the moment.