Funding sought to improve safety on "dark and dangerous" pedestrian route to Ligonier high school
It is over a quarter of a mile walk on a two-lane road and over a narrow bridge for students in Ligonier to get to and from their high school. But now, citing student safety, the school district, township and the borough are teaming up to try and get funding for a protective sidewalk to be built.
Public safety is the number one reason people in Ligonier want a new sidewalk and pedestrian bridge stretching for over a quarter of a mile along West Vincent Street to get up to the school.
Dozens of kids walk on the heavily trafficked street during the school year and Ligonier Valley Police Chief Mike Matrunics says that the community has talked about a sidewalk there many times.
"We feel that it is a necessary addition to that walkway, especially coming to and from town with all the kids, and there are walkers," Matrunics said. "And it does kind of get dark and dangerous back in that little corridor, without a doubt. So, this would be a great addition, and it would be very safe for the people to walk."
Michael Strelic, the Ligonier Township manager, says that the township is taking the lead on this project, but he says they have the support from both Ligonier Borough and the Ligonier Valley School District.
"We went to the borough and the school district to explain the project and they were, 'Oh yeah, that, I can't believe nothing has ever happened there. We are 100% on board,'" Strelic said. "So it is nice, all three of us working together."
Strelic also said that they are looking into grants, state and federal funds and even private donations to get this project over the finish line.
"We are now looking at a $1.7 million project," said Strelic. "Thankfully, we were generously awarded a partial grant through the Department of Conservation and Economic Development for $587,000, which is fantastic, but it still leaves us over a million dollars short."
This project is still in the works, but the township would like to see this project happen sooner rather than later, mainly because they have grant money allocated for this construction that has an expiration date. Anyway you cut it, however, come Monday, students will be back, walking on West Vincent Street to get to and from school.