Cranberry Seeks Grants for New Playground Equipment at Graham Park, Traffic Signal Software

Cranberry could get an upgrade to its traffic signal software, as well as the attractions at the Dick’s Sporting Goods complex at Graham Park, with a little help from some grants.

The township is applying for a $50,000 grant through PennDOT for traffic light improvements on busy Freedom Road.

And, if you’ve ever wondered where the money goes when you pay a traffic ticket, here’s the answer—at least in Philadelphia.

Funds for the statewide grant program are generated out of fines paid by drivers in Philadelphia who caught on camera running red lights by the city’s Automated Red Light Enforcement system, according to Cranberry officials. 

The money is awarded on a competitive basis to local governments for roadway safety improvements.

If the township ‘s grant is approved, Cranberry hopes to use the money to purchase traffic signal software to be installed along Freedom Road. 

The software would allow traffic lights on Freedom to respond to traffic in real time—and to change signal patterns on the fly.

In a recently published study by Carnegie-Mellon, researchers recommended the acquisition of this “Adaptive Software” for Cranberry to improve traffic flow.

The Playgrounds

Cranberry also is applying to the Commonwealth Financing Authority for a $250,000 matching grant to build small playgrounds in each of the three sports campuses (which include football, soccer and baseball) at the Dick’s Sporting Goods Sportsplex in Graham Park.

If the grant application is approved, the playgrounds would be geared toward the young children who often accompany a parent or older siblings to the park for games and practices.

"It makes it more of community family park," said Cranberry Parks & Recreation Director Pete Geis. "It give the rest of the family something to do while the other child is playing sports."

Geis said the township is in the beginning phases of planning the playgrounds. 

If the funding is approved, Geis said he would work with the different sports associations, including the Cranberry Township Athletic Association, the Miracle League and the Seneca Valley Junior Football League, to develop the playgrounds for the park.

"I’m going to be more of  listener and get a feel for what they're thinking," he said.

He added one tentative idea is to theme the playgrounds according to which sports campus they are located on.

What kind of playgrounds would you like to see at Graham Park? Tell us in the comment section below.