Municipalities across the four-county region will receive more than $6 million to be put toward maintaining roads and bridges as part of the state’s yearly liquid fuels allocation.
Act 89 allows the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to distribute nearly $466.2 million in liquid fuels payments to municipalities on March 1 — a $20.9 million, or 5 percent, increase over 2016’s allocation. The funding formula for payments is based on a municipality’s population and miles of locally-owned roads.
“The funds received through liquid fuels payments are critical to the preservation and improvement of our vast network of locally maintained roads,” said PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards. “They are essential to communities for the upkeep of these vital connections to the state highway and bridge network.”
Topping the list in McKean County is Bradford, City which will receive a net allocation of $256,622.54, followed by Keating Township with $194,638.57 and $192,383.02 in Bradford Township. Elsewhere in the county, Foster Township will receive $180,732.39; Liberty Township, $172,469.05; Kane Borough, $122,549.92; Wetmore Township, $113,911.41; Eldred Township, $111,757.61; Lafayette Township, $101,417.36; Annin Township, $96,048.31; Ceres Township, $91,595.06; Otto Township, $78,670.08; Port Allegany, $74,611.44; Smethport, $67,227.56; Norwich Township, $51,275.68; Hamlin Township, $42,941.60; Hamilton Township, $40,707.18; Corydon Township, $27,570.33; Eldred Borough, $26,881.09; Mount Jewett, $36,668.59; Sergeant Township, $24,983.38; and Lewis Run Borough, $20,789.91.
In Lewis Run Borough, officials will use the money to help pay for repairing the Lincoln Drive bridge. The project, estimated to cost around $40,000, is expected to be awarded in April, and work would get under way in May or June.
An inspection of the bridge last year found the bridge to be in dire need of repairs, said borough treasurer Joanne Caldwell.
Elk County is earmarked to receive $476,063.07 in St. Marys; $218,590.58 in Fox Township; $167,589.01 in Jay Township; $161,881.03 in Jones Township; $131,047.54 in Ridgway; $117,506.59 in Horton Township; $104,360.73 in Ridgway Township; $93,267.47 in Highland Township; $81,784.40 in Johnsonburg; $69,042.05 in Spring Creek Township; $61,288.98 in Millstone Township; and $39,528.51 in Benezette.
Johnsonburg Borough Manager Mary Polaski said that typically the liquid fuels money gets put toward salt and antiskid for winter road maintenance. But part of the funds is expected to be used to make a payment on a backhoe the borough financed last year for $69,015.
For Potter County, Harrison Township will receive $179,137.98; Hector Township, $155,184.69; Hebron Township, $122,692.98; Sharon Township, $120,187.81; Bingham Township, $109,105.38; Abbott Township, $106,790.42; Allegany Township, $100,783.20; Ulysses Township, $86,711.10; Coudersport, $86,361.44; Oswayo Township, $81,375.73; West Branch Township, $78,329.94; Keating Township, $77,968.37; Eulalia Township, $76,462.83; Genesee Township, $73,531.52; Sweden Township, $73,047.43; Roulette, $71,608.02; Homer Township, $62,020.44; Galeton, $42,840.88; Pike Township, $40,691.33; Summit Township, $40,659.19; Shinglehouse, $38,981.79; Clara Township, $37,373.69; Pleasant Valley Township, $35,838.94; Wharton Township, $35,341.62; Stewardson Township, $28,196.07; Austin, $27,289.28; Ulysses, $27,104.87; Sylvania Township, $15,284.22; Oswayo, $12,143.95; and Portage Township, $8,567.11.
Sharon Township secretary Frances Stilson said she figures much of the allocation would be put toward fixing the roads damaged from the recent thawing and freezing. One of the bad roads is Blauvelt Hollow Road, she said.
In Cameron County, Shippen Township is expected to receive $143,416.85; Gibson Township, $120,044.45; Lumber Township, $65,412.36; Emporium, $63,924.07; Grove Township, $31,400.96; Portage Township, $18,431.17; and Driftwood, $9,324.02.
