LSA grant approved for Forward Township road repair
State Sen. Nick Pisciottano and Rep. Andrew Kuzma helped secure the funding for Saddlers Hollow Road.
Forward Township officials shared welcome news Monday night: the township has been awarded statewide Local Share Account funding to fully cover repairs to Saddlers Hollow Road.
The $200,000 project will be paid for in full after state Sen. Nick Pisciottano and state Rep. Andrew Kuzma each secured half of the cost through their offices.
Supervisors had been waiting for months to learn whether their grant application would make the cut.
The township submitted the request after heavy storms at the end of 2024 washed debris into a storm drain and contributed to worsening conditions along the road.
The township shut the road down Feb. 14 not knowing when it would reopen.
Supervisor Amy Cline said the application was submitted quickly after the storm.
“Last November, I assisted in putting together the application, took pictures, met with engineers and gathered the letters of endorsement,” she told residents. “We’ve been waiting for a determi- nation on whether it would be approved or not. So I’m hoping you’re here to make an announcement on that application. You said you had good news.”
Rob Rhoderick, district director for Pisciottano, attended last week’s meeting and confirmed it.
“I’d like to make an announcement from your senator and your representative,” he said, before explaining how competitive the process was. “There were about $46 million asked through our office, and we were able to award about $2.5 million.”
Rhoderick emphasized that the project wouldn’t have been funded without Pisciottano and Kuzma working on behalf of the township.
“They jointly worked together,” he said. “They hammered it out in about 30 seconds because it’s not about the politics. It’s about the people.”
He also pointed to the township’s recent work on the Center Avenue bridge as a major factor in their support.
“When PennDOT first closed that bridge, they estimated it might take a year and a half, two years, just to get the right-of-way,” Rhoderick said. “Tom called me two days later and had the right-of-way. Sen. Pisciottano was very impressed with that. He said anything we can do to help Forward Township, we will.”
Rhoderick said that level of responsiveness made it easier for both legislative offices to back the Saddlers Hollow request.
“You guys do the work,” he told supervisors. “And there aren’t easy detours here. You’re not just going a block over. You’re talking miles. So when you asked us to consider this, we took it seriously.”
The confirmation drew an immediate reaction from Chairman Tom DeRosa.
“That’s some of the best news we’ve gotten,” he said.
With the funding now guaranteed, township officials will begin to plan for repair work on Saddlers Hollow in hopes of reopening it sooner rather than later.
