Plans unveiled for pedestrian link to Woodward Township’s Riverview Park

DUNNSTOWN, PA – PennDOT Tuesday evening unveiled details for the long anticipated pedestrian walkway to link Veterans Bridge to Woodward Township’s Riverview Park.

Dozens of community members turned out at the Dunnstown Fire Hall to see displays on the $7.5 million project and have questions answered from PennDOT officials. Attendees learned PennDOT will bid the project in spring of 2022, with construction to begin next summer, the work to be completed by the fall of 2023.

A PennDOT handout said the project purpose is to provide “safe connectivity for pedestrians from Jay Street Bridge to Riverview Park.” It was noted there are no safe pedestrian or bicycle facilities linking Lock Haven residents to the upriver recreational facilities along the Woodward Township side of the river or within Riverview Park.

PennDOT officials said the work will run from the Veterans Bridge 1,400 feet upriver. “The roadway will be realigned and a sidewalk (with an 8-foot width) will be added adjacent to the river side…to accommodate pedestrian traffic.”

During construction, traffic on the Farrandsville Road will be maintained through use of temporary traffic signals. The PennDOT handout said previous plans had called for improvements of more than a mile, but roadway improvements have been reduced to some 500 feet. By cutting back on the project, PennDOT said, “sensitive environmental impacts, reduced utility impacts and private property impacts” have been eliminated.

Work on the improvements had been first discussed some 15 years ago, but were put on hold, a PennDOT spokesman said. The Woodward Township supervisors are on record in support of the project. The bulk of the funding is to be provided by PennDOT, it is understood.

The public hearing was to last until 7 p.m. on Tuesday.