Published: Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2009 / Updated: Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2009 04:26 PM
Stimulus money could fund Dave Lyle extension plan
Could the $789 billion federal economic stimulus plan make the dream of extending Dave Lyle Blvd. into Lancaster County a reality?
It's possible, according to Lancaster County officials.
Lancaster County Council Chairman Fred Thomas and County Administrator Steve Willis met with officials from York County, the City of Rock Hill and spokespeople from U.S. Sen. Lindsay Graham's office last week to discuss the possibility that stimulus money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act could be used to build the much-discussed connector road.
However, despite the dialogue, Thomas said, officials still don't know exactly how the stimulus money will be used - or even accessed. What they do know is the State Infrastructure Bank, which both counties identified as the most likely source of funding for the Dave Lyle project, is scheduled to receive money from the stimulus package, Thomas said.
The Dave Lyle extension is estimated to cost between $100 million and $120 million.
Thomas and Willis stress that details about the stimulus package are still largely unknown.
"There is no rule, rhyme or reason on who is getting what," Thomas said. "We're going down a path we've never gone down before."
Once a Pennies for Progress project about a decade ago, the proposed Dave Lyle extension was revived in 2007 when developer Newland Carolinas offered to contribute $10 million toward its construction as it develops 1,800 acres on the Rock Hill side of the proposed extension. Proponents said it will give county residents, particularly those in the Indian Land Panhandle, more convenient access to the Dave Lyle shopping corridor and facilitate tourism from York County to Lancaster County.
Other local projects could also be boosted by the economic stimulus package. The federal money is expected to make more grants viable for county projects, Willis said, and he identified 10 he thinks may be eligible, including the construction of the Pleasant Valley Fire Department.
If grant money is used it will eliminate the need for a bond to pay for the fire station, leaving money available to buy more equipment or move forward on a fire department substation planned on Harrisburg Road.
Widening Hwy. 160 East as soon as possible is also still a county priority, Willis said, but it doesn't appear to meet criteria for stimulus money because the project is still in the planning phases. More information about how government groups can apply for stimulus money may come as early as this week, according to Willis, and the county will further prioritize projects then.
"We just don't know much yet," he said.