At the meeting on June 14, the TTAC was given two choices for what would be included in the new application for TIGER II: The longer list that included 27 Harrisburg Pike projects totaling $35,180,000 in federal grant requests but did not include the rebuilding of the Rt. 30/HP interchange that High wants, in order to get its shopping center, or the connecting of College Ave. and Charlotte St. to Stadium Drive that F&M needs for access to its football stadium and athletic fields on the former Armstrong site.
The shorter list of only 4 items, with a total federal grant request of $30,800,000 included the rebuilding of Rt. 30/HP interchange $19,778,000 and the College Ave. and Charlotte St. connecting links at $7,500,000 (see p. 3).
Guess which the TTAC members chose? The shorter list, of course. (It also included changes to Harrisburg Pike between Toys R Us and the Norfolk Southern Bridge that would accommodate the Harrisburg Pike entrance to the shopping center. (It even includes a relocation of the Conestoga Creek!) Once again this shows the influence and successful lobbying efforts of High Real Estate. Why should federal tax dollars be spent to provide the infrastructure for an unneeded and largely unwanted shopping center, especially when there is unutilized space in every shopping mall in the county? This includes F&M’s College Row on Harrisburg Pike between Race Ave. and Charlotte St.
Members of the LCTCC/MPO will be asked to approve submitting an application for federal funding for the 4 projects on the short list at its meeting on June 28, starting at 12 noon, at 150 N. Queen St.
