A section of Water Street in Hellertown is slated to receive Share the Road-style upgrades after the borough received state community and economic development grant money for a project that ultimately may include a multi-use bike lane trail with “share the road” signs, bump-outs, pavement markings and curb cuts.
The intersection of Harwi and W. Water streets in Hellertown is notable for its lack of non-ADA compliant curbs, which represent an obstacle to disabled people. Improvements that are part of Phase I of a pending $435,000 Share the Road-style project will eliminate this obstacle.
Borough manager Cathy Hartranft said the $435,000 grant State Rep. Bob Freeman (D-136) reported on in his September newsletter will fund Phase I of the project, which will be focused on the section of Water Street between Main Street and Water Street Park and the Saucon Rail Trail.
“An existing path will be improved to accommodate a multi-use pathway adjacent to the park and the trail,” she said. “The project will also provide for ADA accessibility improvements, crosswalks and sidewalks where needed along this stretch.”
“The project will continue on the other side of the Water Street Bridge by making bike and pedestrian path improvements that will conclude at the site of an existing macadam pathway that connects to the adjacent neighborhood,” she added.
Hartranft said the project should take about 14-16 months to complete, according to the current engineering and construction timeline.
With the replacement of the Water Street Bridge expected to begin sometime in the next one to two years “we will try our best to coordinate this project with (that project) so there is limited inconvenience to the communities,” she added.
An aerial view of the Water Street corridor in Hellertown, where grant-funded “share the road” improvements will help make it easier for bicyclists and pedestrians to travel from Main Street to Water Street Park and the Saucon Rail Trail.
