By Justin Criado

A public meeting will be held Wednesday, March 4 from 5-6:30 p.m. in the Priory hotel’s Grand Hall to discuss PennDOT’s East Ohio St. Improvement Project, according to a press release.

One item that will be on the agenda is bike lanes, which would run from the intersection of Chestnut and East Ohio Streets in East Deutschtown to the intersection of East Ohio and East Streets in Historic Deutschtown, including under the I-79 overpass, in the 800 block of East Ohio Street.

“This stretch will now become a safe connection from the neighborhood to the North Shore Trail, the 16th St. Bridge, and on to the Strip District and Penn Avenue Bike Lanes,” Nick Ross, NS Bike/Ped committee chairman, said. “This a major commitment from the state that will go a long way in making the 800 block safer and more appealing in order to support ongoing redevelopment efforts.”

The committee has continuously worked to bring safer biking and walking routes to Northside, and the East Ohio Street project was no different. Pashek Associates on 619 East Ohio Street provided the concept plans that were submitted to PennDOT.

“It is critical for folks to understand these improvements are more than just bike lanes, they’re safety improvements for anyone using the street,” Ross said. “Having folks come out to support PennDOT’s investment in making the Northside a better place is crucial, and we hope to see many of you folks there!”

Other items that the project will cover are roadway reconstruction and bridge preservation.

A timeline for construction and completion was not available.