ALLENTOWN, Pa. - The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission is set to receive $21,158,854 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation for a Riverside Drive project between Allentown and Whitehall Township.
The project will be funded by a Rebuilding America’s Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant and will build out 3.5 miles of roads as well as pedestrian and cycling paths.
Becky Bradley, executive director of the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, said the agency has been applying for this grant for six years.
“The vision for this project is multifold,” Bradley said. “It connects one of the communities with the lowest access to opportunity, or an equity community, to the region's major job centers.”
Bradley also said the project will create a new emergency management services route between Lehigh Valley International Airport and Route 22.
“The project also is purchasing land and right-of-way that will be critical to environmental management and protection of the Lehigh River and will also provide significant climate resiliency as we've been seeing more frequent and intense storm events,” said Bradley.
Bradley said the project is expected to create thousands of jobs.