SCHWARTZ: ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION IS A TOP PRIORITY FOR PENNSYLVANIA MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILIES
Abington, PA – With the recent news that Pennsylvania ranks 2nd in the nation...
Every day, tens of millions of commuters rely on our roads and mass transit systems to get to work, and businesses across the country depend on our highways, railroads, and waterways to get their goods to market. Revitalizing our transportation network is key to our economic recovery.
In June 2012, I voted for the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act, a long-term transportation bill that saves and creates three million jobs while providing certainty to states through 2014. The previous long-term transportation bill had expired in 2009, and Congress had funded federal highway, transit, and surface transportation programs through short-term extensions. After months of needless delay, Congress finally delivered a bipartisan effort to boost our economy by putting Americans to work rebuilding our roads and bridges.
As part of the Recovery Act, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) began the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant initiative. TIGER was designed to spur national competition for innovative transportation projects that promise economic and environmental benefits to a metropolitan area, a region, or the nation.
I am proud to have successfully secured more than $50 million in TIGER funding for the region to improve infrastructure and strengthen economic development.
Enhancing Bicycle and Pedestrian Access in Southeastern Pennsylvania: I secured $23 million for the Philadelphia Area Pedestrian and Bicycle Network, which will repair, reconstruct, and improve 16.3 miles of pedestrian and bicycle facilities to complete a 128-mile regional network in six counties around Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey. This regional transportation network will be a unique asset to the Philadelphia area and will transform biking and pedestrian greenways in our region. This new greenway will have a significant impact on our economy, creating jobs in the metropolitan area and enhancing the quality of life for our residents.
Rebuilding Dilworth Plaza: I worked closely with the City of Philadelphia, the Center City District, SEPTA and the Commonwealth to secure a $15 million grant for the transformation of Dilworth Plaza, Philadelphia, outside of City Hall. This $50 million renovation project will create more than 900 construction jobs with $22 million in wages over the 27 months of the project. By early 2014, Dilworth Plaza will be transformed into an active public plaza for residents, employees, and visitors, making it an inviting, attractive destination and public transportation hub. Dilworth Plaza’s renovation puts it on the path to becoming one of the country’s most prominent outdoor urban civic spaces by linking together the city’s retail, dining, cultural, and entertainment districts.
Improving Travel in Northeast Philadelphia: I secured a $10 million grant to reduce congestion for transit and cars as well as improve reliability along traffic-jammed streets in Philadelphia’s neighborhoods—specifically along the Bustleton Avenue, Castor Avenue, and Oxford Avenue corridors. The U.S. Department of Transportation, the Streets Department, PennDOT, and SEPTA will partner to make a $20+ million investment to help tens of thousands of drivers, transit riders, and pedestrians get where they need to go faster and more safely by replacing 40-year-old traffic signals and controllers with the latest technology.
Improving Infrastructure in Southeastern Pennsylvania: I helped secured a $12.8 million grant to help the City of Philadelphia, SEPTA, and PennDOT make critical infrastructure improvements in the Philadelphia region. The grant will support the renovation of the 80-year-old Wayne Junction substation, which provides electricity to operate half of SEPTA's Regional Rail system. The facility has been a source of frequent failures in recent years and has led to thousands of stranded commuters.