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Bethlehem to Receive $1.6 Million for South Side Greenway: Grants From Two State Agencies Will Go a Long Way to Fund Trail.

Posted on: Friday, 26 May 2006, 21:00 CDT

By Matt Assad, The Morning Call, Allentown, Pa.

May 25--Baseball players say that when they're on a hot streak, even the best fastball seems to approach the plate in slow motion.

That's kind of how Bethlehem director of community and economic development Tony Hanna feels this week after realizing the city is getting not one, but two $800,000 grants for its proposed greenway park through the South Side.

When city officials were notified last week that the project was approved for the grant, they wondered which state department came through with the money. After all, they had applied to both the Department of Community and Natural Resources and the Department of Transportation.

Turns out the city is getting $800,000 -- from each of them.

"It's like we can't miss," Hanna said. "I feel like Barry Bonds."

The city will put its streak on the line next month when it asks Northampton County for another $800,000 grant to advance its $5 million project to build a meandering park along the former Norfolk Southern railroad bed between Union Station and Saucon Park.

The grants mean the city can almost immediately finish its purchase of the 18 acres of rail bed from Norfolk Southern, and begin construction of the proposed urban trail and park next spring.

Earlier this year, Hanna was wondering how the city would pay for it. That's because Lehigh Valley transportation officials denied the city's request for a grant.

After the rejection, the city quickly filed new requests with the two state agencies. Last week, the city was notified that one grant had been approved, and even as officials tried to determine which department had approved the money, they realized they were actually two-time winners.

The first grant is coming from the Department of Community and Natural Resources. The second grant, yet to be announced officially, will come from state Transportation Secretary Allen Biehler's discretionary fund, said Dan Accurti, PennDOT's program manager for transportation enhancements.

"The transportation money will be there when they need it, to go along with the DCNR money," Accurti said. "Bethlehem's done very well for itself here, but understand, this is a very good project from the state's point of view."

Both grants require a 50 percent match, but they can be used to match each other. Though the city will need $2 million to $3 million more to finish the trail, Bethlehem won't have to come up with its part until later.

"We may not have much money into the project yet, but we have a lot of sweat equity," Hanna said. "Don't forget. This is a $5 million project that ultimately will require some city funds."

Exactly how much depends on how long Bethlehem's hot streak continues.

matthew.assad@mcall.com

610-861-3617

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Source: The Morning Call, Allentown, Pennsylvania

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