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Harris Township submits DEIS comments urging attention to alignment, noise mitigation and schedule for State College Area Connector
Summary
Township supervisors instructed staff to send PennDOT a letter commenting on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the State College Area Connector, urging retention of alignment at Bear Meadow/Elks Club Road intersections where appropriate, robust noise attenuation, stronger bike/pedestrian connectivity and a tighter construction schedule.
Harris Township supervisors reviewed the PennDOT Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the State College Area Connector and directed staff to assemble a letter of comments by the April 20 deadline.
Discussion focused on several locally significant issues. Supervisors debated whether to preserve the prior alignment at Bear Meadow Road/Elks Club Road or accept PennDOTʼs proposed offset; State College police advised the offset could be safer because it reduces conflict points. Supervisors also questioned the DEIS proposal to build a large number of bridges (board members cited 15) and urged PennDOT to avoid further schedule slippage that has pushed project completion dates later in the decade, arguing delays increase cost and community uncertainty.
Board members pressed PennDOT to strengthen noise attenuation measures in residential areas, and to ensure bike and pedestrian connectivity on both sides of key corridors, not just one; supervisors asked that comments encourage more protective noise measures and full multimodal connections.
Staff will compile these supervisor comments and submit a township letter to PennDOT before the DEIS comment deadline.
