If you are in danger, call 911. If you need to exit this website quickly, click on the ESCAPE button. This button will immediately open a browser window for weather.com and replace your current window with google.com.

Shapiro Administration Invests $380,000 in 11 Pennsylvania Communities to Improve Walking and Biking Networks, Boost Physical Activity

Harrisburg, PA - The Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) and the Pennsylvania Downtown Center today announced a $380,000 investment in 11 communities to assist in developing Active Transportation Plans and increasing physical activity by connecting local destinations with improved pedestrian, bicycle, and transit networks.

Grant recipients through the WalkWorks program will work over the next year with transportation and community planners to collect data, assess current conditions and aspirations, and incorporate public input to craft their Active Transportation Plans.

“The WalkWorks program addresses multiple needs at the same time — expanding access to both our community and to nature,” said Secretary of Health Dr. Debra Bogen. “Enabling more people to walk, bike, or wheel to more places while enjoying the benefits of outdoor physical activity boosts physical and mental health. This initiative is a win-win-win as physical activity, like walking, is one of the easiest ways to reduce stress and improve health.”

The WalkWorks program leverages partnership with the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and its co-funding of two of the grant recipients through the Community Conservations Partnership Program and its Mini-Grant Program.

“Developing strategic plans for better walking and biking infrastructure addresses key challenges facing our communities,” said DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn. “From reducing traffic and noise to improving air quality and public health, we know there are benefits to prioritizing more sustainable transit. We’re proud to partner with the Department of Health and local leaders to expand trail networks that connect neighborhoods, encourage outdoor activity, and attract visitors who support local economies.”

This year’s grant recipients are:

Allegheny County
Leetsdale Borough: $30,000
Millvale Borough: $30,000

Berks County

West Reading Borough: $30,000

Blair County

Antis Township: $15,000

Bucks County

Bensalem Township: $50,000

Erie County

Erie County: $50,000

Monroe County

Mount Pocono Borough: $25,000

Northumberland County

Kulpmont Borough: $29,980

Philadelphia County

City of Philadelphia, Fox Chase Neighborhood: $50,000

Schuylkill County

Schuylkill Haven: $40,000

Washington/Allegheny Counties

McDonald Borough: $30,000

Living in, working in, or visiting communities with safe, beautiful, functional, and accessible public spaces and streets means being able to use activity-friendly routes to get to key destinations. Opportunities like that help to increase physical activity and reduce chronic diseases, which simultaneously improve individual health, expand economic vitality, and reduce health care costs.

This year’s WalkWorks grants focus on centering the connections and needed coordination between transportation policy and public health.

“People need a range of good transportation options, rather than a forced choice of driving. Our goal is safe, accessible, and inviting transportation options for all. WalkWorks helps communities improve public health by increasing active transportation,” said Samantha Pearson, Healthy Communities Program Manager at the Pennsylvania Downtown Center and coordinator of the WalkWorks Program. “We are making strides in adjusting our surroundings to make them pro-access, pro-activity, and pro-health. Our collaboration can lead to healthier people, more resilient communities, safer streets and roads, and stronger local economies.”

Grant recipients were selected with assistance from a multi-disciplinary review team that included representatives from DOH, the Pennsylvania Downtown Center, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and the Department of Community and Economic Development.

The WalkWorks program is committed to expanding walkability, bike-ability, accessibility, and connectivity to transit across Pennsylvania and encourages residents to incorporate active transportation into daily routines.

Funding for the grants is provided by DOH through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant; A Strategic Approach to Advancing Health Equity for Priority Populations with or at risk for Diabetes; and, Public Health Infrastructure Grant, as well as from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation, through the Environmental Stewardship Fund.

For more information about WalkWorks, visit the PA WalkWorks website.

Visit the Explore PA Trails and Get Outdoors PA websites for information on recreational resources.

###