“ Our businesses will fail: '' Business owners fear the losses of the connector of the State College connector
Center County, Pennsylvania (Wjac) – Penndot recently announced its favorite route for the State College Connector Project, along Route 322.
In a statement, officials said they went forward with the central option.
Today, several owners of companies in the canton of Potter express concerns concerning the proposed road project.
They say that the new route of the proposed connector, south of Route 322, will block access to their windows, and without nearby outing, they fear that their business will be left behind.
Penndot says that the long -awaited objective of the project aims to connect route 322, to Potters Mills, at the Mount Nittany highway near Boalsburg.
For companies along the proposed road, such as Cycle Center N ° 1 Harley-Davidson and the Ruppert landscape, the owners say that Penndot's design does not include access points near the Potter Township commercial industrial district.
“We tried to work with Penndot and ask them for access to the new road. And they said they don't grant it because there is not enough car account for us to get out of this area, “said the owner of Ruppert Landscape Scott Burk.
The owners say that they are now deeply worried due to the lack of outings near their business for this proposed highway.
“We understand that with a new road, these cars will not pass the business. But if there is an exchange here, then there is an access point, which is local in this area, and the cars will go and that cars will visit our business.”
They say that without a local access point in their region, customer traffic will decrease for companies, which fear that the owners will lead to possible closures.
“History is that we simply do not see that happening in other areas, where there has been development and new roads.
The owners are now turning to elected officials to help get access points on the proposed highway, saving their businesses.
The owners of companies in the canton of Potter add that they have formed a coalition, and they now urge the public to attend the Penndot public meeting on Thursday at 4 p.m. in Boalsburg.
The meeting will allow the public to ask questions and offer comments on the connector project.
