State Sen. Jarrett Coleman, R-16th, and state Rep. Mike Schlossberg, D-132nd, have announced South Whitehall Township received a $150,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Local Share Account program to conduct a road safety audit on Hamilton Boulevard.

Hamilton Boulevard is a heavily traveled roadway that serves as a vital corridor for people and businesses, a news release states.

The section of Hamilton Boulevard between I-78 and Cedar Crest Boulevard experienced 182 crashes between 2015-22 and is identified as a high crash corridor in the Lehigh Valley Traffic Safety Plan.

An audit of the corridor will examine safety concerns and make recommendations for specific countermeasures.

The Pennsylvania Race Horse Development and Gaming Act (Act 2004-71), provides for the distribution of gaming revenues through the Commonwealth Financing Authority to support projects in the public interest within Pennsylvania for these grants.

“Drivers in our community know that there are a lot of traffic challenges on Hamilton Boulevard,” Coleman said Oct. 22 in the news release. “The road safety audit will help us to identify solutions to improve the safety and accessibility of this vital traffic corridor in the Lehigh Valley.”

Schlossberg said roads across the United States are facing a safety crisis.

“Hamilton Boulevard is no exception,” Schlossberg said. “I have been working successfully with township leaders for years to continue to find resources to make this high-crash corridor safe for people expecting a safe return home, visiting Dorney Park, or venturing to Downtown Allentown’s many incredible attractions.

“This is an important stretch of road for the Lehigh Valley, and we need to get it right.”