State College Awarded $78K PennDOT Grant for Walnut Springs Park Project

State College Borough will receive $78,991 in state funding for an improvement project in Walnut Springs Park, Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration announced on Aug. 24.

The grant from the state Department of Transportation’s Multimodal Transit Fund (MTF) will be used to construct a new pedestrian bridge, which according to the project summary “provides an important transportation alternative to travel from the Borough of State College to College Township via the trail systems within the park.”

State College was the only Centre County municipality to receive funding in the most recent round of MTF grants, which distributed nearly $50 million for 58 highway, bridge, aviation, ports and bike and pedestrian projects in 37 counties.

“This new pedestrian bridge in Walnut Springs Park enhances the safety of the residents who use these trails, while protecting the natural environment of this unique park, which connects the Borough of State College and Thompson Woods Nature Preserve in College Township,” state Rep. Paul Takac, D-College Township, said in statement.

In a letter of support for State College’s grant application last year, Centre County Metropolitan Planning Organization planning director Jim May wrote that the pedestrian bridge will preserve a link in the regional trail network and is consistent with CCMPO’s goal of providing safety and security for non-motorized travel.

“The bridge is part of a trail network that connects the Easterly and Westerly Parkway Corridor with East College Avenue and Oak Ridge Avenue,” May wrote. “This provides for a safe pedestrian connection between downtown areas of State College and nearby residential neighborhoods in the Lemont area of College Township.”

PennDOT will accept applications from Sept. 25 through Nov. 13 for the next round of MTF grant funding, with recipients announced in 2024.