West Reading has been awarded a $30,000 state grant to develop an Active Transportation Plan aimed at improving walking and biking connections throughout the borough. The funding is part of a $380,000 investment by the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) and the Pennsylvania Downtown Center to support 11 communities across the state through the WalkWorks program.
Over the next year, West Reading officials will work with transportation and community planners to collect data, assess current conditions, and seek public input to shape a plan that enhances local pedestrian, bicycle, and transit networks. The goal is to create safer, more accessible routes that connect neighborhoods, businesses, parks, and other community destinations.
“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.”
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) is also supporting the initiative. “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.”
The WalkWorks program emphasizes the connection between transportation planning and public health. Organizers say that safer and more activity-friendly routes help reduce chronic diseases, improve individual well-being, and support local economies.
“People need a range of good transportation options, rather than a forced choice of driving,” said Samantha Pearson, Healthy Communities Program Manager at the Pennsylvania Downtown Center and coordinator of WalkWorks. “Our collaboration can lead to healthier people, more resilient communities, safer streets and roads, and stronger local economies.”
West Reading joins 10 other municipalities across Pennsylvania in receiving this year’s grants. Funding is provided through a combination of state resources and federal support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
