Greensburg identifies 5 priority projects to improve active transportation throughout city

GREENSBURG, Pa. — Many students at Seton Hill University are used to walking through the tunnel on College Avenue.

“Every day. Every day I have to go to one of the two buildings over on that side, and I have to walk from this parking lot,” said Emma Corall, a junior at Seton Hill.

It can be dark inside the tunnel — especially at night.

“We also don’t know everyone here, so if we’re walking through the tunnel and there’s a random dark figure, it might be a little bit harder for us to tell is that someone who’s safe? Or is that someone who might be a little more questionable,” added Piper Anke, a freshman.

The City of Greensburg is going to be looking to add lights to the tunnel. It’s one of five priority projects for the city.

It’s one of more than 30 recommendations that came out of an Active Transportation Study. The study — paid for with a $20,000 grant from the Department of Health — took several months and was approved this week by the city.

“Concerns about getting in and out of town, getting around town, making sure the sidewalks connect, making sure people can get from their neighborhood down to the town, people get from one park to another park,” said Alec Italiano, Director of Planning and Development for the City of Greensburg.

Aside from adding lights and flexible poles along the road inside the College Avenue Tunnel — the city has four other priority projects from this study.

They plan to add crosswalks to North Main and North Maple Streets, add lighting and poles to the tunnel on Arch Avenue, add separation to the shoulder of College Avenue to the city’s boundary with Hempfield Township, and do the same on North Main Street from Clopper Street to the city line.

The city is now working with its engineering firm and working to get funding.

“Really, step two now is to work with Gibson-Thomas, identify some grants, and make those upgrades,” Italiano told Channel 11′s Andrew Havranek.

While some projects may take longer than others, the students Havranek talked to on College Avenue are looking forward to the lights in the tunnel.

“It would just be better for safety to have those lights there,” said freshman Gianna Evans.

To read more about the project, click here.

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