Your SEDA-COG MPO News & Updates | | |
Welcome to the spring edition of Pathways, a newsletter covering activities related to the SEDA-Council of Governments (SEDA-COG) Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). The SEDA-COG MPO is the official transportation planning organization for eight central Pennsylvania counties: Clinton, Columbia, Juniata, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder, and Union.
We hope you enjoy our newsletter! Stay tuned for future editions on a quarterly basis.
| | Upcoming Meetings & Events | |
Below are upcoming transportation meetings and events being held in the region. Some meetings are conducted virtually or as hybrid meetings. MPO meetings have transitioned to hybrid meetings that enable in-person or virtual participation; meeting recordings are posted on the SEDA-COG YouTube channel. PennDOT LTAP offers in-person classes, along with a number of virtual classes and virtual drop-in sessions.
May 8, 2025 – Electric Vehicle Community Charging Workshop
May 9, 2025 – SEDA-COG MPO Meeting
May 13, 2025 – Electric Vehicle Community Charging Workshop
May 14, 2025 – Middle Susquehanna Active Transportation Committee Meeting
May 28, 2025 – SEDA-COG Board of Directors Meeting
June 3, 2025 – Chainsaw Safety & Maintenance Training (contact Don Kiel to register)
June 25, 2025 – SEDA-COG Board of Directors Meeting
We will post updated meeting information on our website. For more information, or for links to participate in virtual meetings, contact the SEDA-COG Transportation Planning staff. SEDA-COG MPO meeting agendas, minutes, and recordings can be found here.
| | | Transportation Alternatives Project Updates | |
SEDA-COG MPO staff were pleased to attend the recent grand opening for a completed Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside (TA Set-Aside) project in the region. On May 2, Clinton County celebrated the opening of Phase 5 of the Bald Eagle Valley Trail – extending the trail from the Katie's Crossing Susquehanna River bridge to the US 220 intersection at Avis.
It was exciting to see the enthusiasm of the public and area stakeholders during the ribbon cutting. We commend Clinton County and all the partners that helped to bring this important project to fruition!
The SEDA-COG MPO offers technical assistance to TA Set-Aside project sponsors and reviews, ranks, and comments on applications from the region that are submitted to PennDOT. Applications are reviewed based on such criteria as safety benefits, project delivery, reasonableness of cost, network connectivity, economic impact, and leveraging of other projects or funding.
The next TA Set-Aside funding round is anticipated to open in 2025. When the funding round is announced, we'll provide details in our newsletter and other communications.
| | | Electric Vehicle Community Charging Program | | MPO Hosting Two Community Workshops | |
The SEDA-COG MPO is collaborating with PennDOT on the deployment of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure to meet community needs and enhance accessibility across Pennsylvania. The SEDA-COG MPO region is projected to receive up to $2.3 million for EV charging projects from the Community Charging Program.
The MPO has developed a project page for the public to help shape the process by answering a brief charging uses survey and identifying needed charging project locations on an online map.
The MPO will also hold community workshops on May 8 and May 13 for residents, businesses, and organizations to learn more information and provide their feedback on EV charging infrastructure. Public input will be considered for community charging program recommendations that SEDA-COG MPO will make to PennDOT by July 31, 2025.
Please visit the MPO's EV Community Charging Program project page to:
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Take the Survey: Share your thoughts on the most important charging uses.
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Identify Priority Locations: Pinpoint preferred spots for charging stations on the interactive map.
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Stay Engaged: Follow timeline updates on the program's progress and review key links.
| | FY 2025-2027 MPO Work Program | | MPO Work Program for Next Two Years Is Approved | |
The Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration have approved the FY 2025-2027 SEDA-COG MPO Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP). This UPWP lists the transportation planning activities to be completed by the MPO between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2027.
The UPWP, however, is dynamic and can be modified to respond to emerging priority transportation issues or special needs related to the orderly growth and development of the SEDA-COG MPO region.
The UPWP activities and deliverables are organized under the following main Task categories:
- Plans and Programs
- Data, Tools, and Analysis
- Administration
- Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP)
- Increasing Safe and Accessible Transportation Options
- Consultant Assistance for Plan Updates and Support
| | Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding | | | | Federal Transportation Funding Resources | |
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) reauthorized surface transportation programs through Fiscal Year 2026. In doing so, the BIL devotes $550 billion through 2026 for new federal investment in infrastructure, including roads, bridges, transit, water infrastructure, resilience, and broadband. The Federal Highway Administration has a comprehensive BIL resource website available here.
Some federal transportation discretionary grant programs currently open for applications include:
A variety of recent funding resources have been developed for local governments and other BIL program applicants:
We will continue to monitor guidance related to the BIL and report updates in this newsletter.
| | Active Transportation Committee Update | | | | |
The Middle Susquehanna Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan was adopted by the SEDA-COG MPO in May 2019. To help implement this plan, the SEDA-COG MPO and the Susquehanna Greenway Partnership formed a Middle Susquehanna Active Transportation Committee. The Committee's mission is to enhance quality of life in the Middle Susquehanna Valley through the development of a regional network of walkable and bikeable communities and the promotion of a bike-friendly and pedestrian-friendly culture. The Committee and its Steering, Outreach, and Implementation work groups are diligently laboring on multiple fronts to implement the Plan's action items, goals, and overarching vision.
A few recent successes include:
- Helping communities pursue funding from DCNR, WalkWorks, and federal grant opportunities to further active transportation in our region;
- Updating bike/ped priority project lists and mapping;
- Updating member lists and arranging Committee meetings;
- Updating bike/ped facilities webmaps;
- Developing an online Esri Hub site for the 2019 Plan.
- Preparing bike crash report cards and bike/ped safety PSAs.
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WalkWorks has announced its Community Capacity-Building Pre-Planning Assistance Program designed to assist low-capacity, high-interest municipalities with becoming ready to apply in 2026 for funding to develop active transportation plans. WalkWorks is an initiative between the PA Dept. of Health and the Pennsylvania Downtown Center that supports the development and adoption of active transportation plans or related policies. These plans are essential to establish activity-friendly routes that connect people to everyday destinations, thereby expanding opportunities for physical activity and improving public health.
The 2025 funding Program Guidelines be found here. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis from June 2 through July 18, 2025.
| The SEDA-COG MPO is currently updating its Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). The LRTP identifies how the MPO will advance a safe and efficient multimodal transportation system that includes highways, bridges, public transportation, active transportation (bike/ped) facilities, railroads, and airports. The LRTP update will serve as a blueprint to guide future transportation investments in the region for the next 25 years. The MPO is working with Michael Baker International consultants for public involvement activities and special technical analysis. Public input has been solicited through a survey, four listening sessions, stakeholder interviews, public meetings, and pop-up events. More opportunities will occur when the draft plan is released for comment. An interactive project site can be found here. Recent additions to the site include summaries of the online survey results and listening sessions. | |  |
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The PA Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) is accepting applications for funding through its Multimodal
Transportation Fund. The application period closes on July 31, 2025. Funds may be used for the development, rehabilitation and enhancement of transportation assets to existing communities, streetscape, lighting, sidewalk enhancement, pedestrian safety, connectivity of transportation assets and transit-oriented development. Municipalities, school districts, businesses, economic development organizations, public transportation agencies, ports, and rail freight entities are eligible to apply. More information can be found here.
Funding decisions from the most recent PennDOT Multimodal Transportation Fund round are expected in summer 2025.
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SEDA-COG MPO staff were pleased to collaborate with Dr. Michelle Beiler of Bucknell University for an article published in the spring 2025 edition of the Transportation Research Board's TR News magazine. The article, "Counting on Trails: Measuring Demand on Walking and Bike Paths in Central Pennsylvania" discusses the MPO's program to collect trail usage data across the region.
The count program is now in its third year of data collection. StoryMaps have been published for the 2023 Trail Demand Report and the 2024 Trail Demand Report. To date, counts have been taken on diverse trails in Northumberland, Union, Clinton, Columbia, and Montour counties. The counter units will eventually be deployed to each of the 8 MPO counties.
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SEDA-Council of Governments (SEDA-COG) enhances the quality of life and economic advantage for residents and businesses in 11 central Pennsylvania counties through its vital partnerships and initiatives.
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