A road project that will support the planned development of hundreds of acres on the west side of the Toftrees property in Patton Township was awarded a $2.44 million state grant, Gov. Tom Wolf’s office announced on Friday.
Toftrees Development LLC received the Multimodal Transportation Fund grant to construct Masters Boulevard and an extension of Waddle Road. The project will include excavation, paving, sidewalks, a traffic signal and stormwater management to accommodate anticipated increased traffic flow in the area.
It was one of 43 projects in 21 counties awarded a combined $45.9 million in grants from the Multimodal Transportation Fund for highway, bridge, rail, and bike and pedestrian improvements.
In 2014, the master plan for the Toftrees Planned Community was revised to indicate future development for the west end of the property that would include about 2,500 residential units — a mix of single-family and multi-family residences — as well as retail, restaurant, hotel and office space with a town center and parkland areas.
A 2017 update included an estimated timeline once initial construction began, with multiple phases to be built over the course of 30 years. It noted that timeline would depend on considerations such as market demands and transportation infrastructure, including the widening of Waddle Road and the Interstate 99/Route 322 off-ramp there, which was completed in 2018.
No land development plans for the development have been submitted to Patton Township, which would be required for each phase.
Toftrees West is identified in the master plan as being just north of I-99, west of the Toftrees golf course and east of the Cedar Cliff residential development.
The Waddle Road extension and Masters Boulevard would provide for the access to the new development.
“This is a big step forward for this project, which will bring new jobs and housing opportunities that will benefit the local community for years to come,” state Sen. Jake Corman, R-Benner Township, said in a statement. “As the community grows, our local transportation infrastructure has to grow with it. This grant will ensure our transportation system is ready to handle the increased volume without causing a disruption in the community.”
Corman said that once completed, the Toftrees West development is expected to create more than 2,700 new direct jobs and nearly 1,300 indirect jobs.
State Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Rush Township, also lauded the grant award.
“Improving our infrastructure is a priority for all residents to ensure their overall quality of life, and this project will provide necessary safety improvements and proper management of water runoff, due to rain or melting snow,” Conklin said in a statement.
