SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION
STUDY BACKGROUND Baltimore Avenue (PA Routes 34 and 94) through Mount Holly Springs is one of the regionʹs most critical transportation corridors. Comprised of a network of important roadways and rail lines, the PA route 34/94 corridor links a series of distinct and historic communities with Carlisle, the County seat of Cumberland County, PA and is home to some of the regionʹs most identifiable paper making places and historic resort places. The rich legacy of the past has been undermined by the increase of traffic volumes in the Baltimore Avenue corridor and projections for continual increases that may result in the deterioration of properties if left unresolved. Approximately 5 miles in length, the Baltimore Avenue Corridor Study Area extends from PA Route 34/94 split at the southern gateway to the Watts Street intersection and northern gateway. The study area spans the primary core of Mount Holly Springs traversing the borough from south to north. The study areaʹs boundary extends roughly one‐half mile east and west of Baltimore Avenue. The Baltimore Avenue Corridor Study was initiated by the Borough leadership of Mount Holly Springs and the Cumberland County Planning Department, with the support of private business owners, American Legion, VFW, residents and PennDOT, to help coordinate transportation and land use planning in the Borough. By coordinating these efforts, the Borough of Mount Holly Springs seeks to promote a more sustainable community and implement this plans objectives that focus on more people centered growth, safety and prosperity for a sustainable future. This document is the result of a ten (10) month planning process that began in February of 2015. During this time, the Borough of Mount Holly Springs facilitated multiple public participation opportunities and worked extensively with a variety of stakeholders. A Revitalization Committee, composed of professional staff from the Borough, Council members, community citizens and business owners, was created to provide local expertise and help guide the direction of the study. During the course of the study, residents and stakeholders participated in three (3) public open houses, two (2) of which were held at the Mount Holly Springs Citizen Fire Department and a final presentation at the Mount Holly Inn. These meetings allowed the public to learn about the study and offer their input on corridor issues and problems. Additionally, the Mount Holly Springs revitalization committee provided online updates and hosted public presentation information on the Borough website which allowed residents to help identify corridor needs and recommend improvement strategies. There were also numerous one‐on‐one meetings with private individuals, business owners and non‐resident property owners in an effort to garner input into the design and problem solving process.
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View looking North on Baltimore Avenue View looking South entering Mount Holly Springs It was determined through the analysis, design and public meeting process that Mount Holly Springs is one of the “Hidden Gem’s” of Cumberland County and all of Central Pennsylvania. The community has been able to hold onto its historic fabric, paper making legacy and some of its core infrastructure. This study will provide guidance on ways to build upon the community’s strengths and define ways to help local merchants to improve their facilities with clean and safe infrastructure, business planning, and marketing. The Baltimore Avenue Corridor is the gateway location to Cumberland County and therefore requires attention to solving it’s long‐term transportation needs. Community engagement – done effectively – provides Mount Holly Springs with the opportunity to build local networks, enhance relationships, and identify underlying concerns and values, leverage assets and resources, increase participation, improve decision making, get out ahead or avoid conflict, and perhaps most importantly increase trust in your organization and governance. Engagement is not generally driven by a ‘model’ so much as by a framework of guiding principles, strategies, and approaches. This framework is based on principles that respect the right of all community members to be informed, consulted, involved and empowered and employs a range of tools and strategies to ensure success. It also places a premium on fostering and enhancing trust as a critical element in long‐term, sustainable engagement and effective governance.
Assets, Constraints, Key Challenges and Opportunities An extensive inventory of existing conditions data was gathered as part of the study process. Based on this research and analysis, the study team developed the following list of assets, constraints, and opportunities for the Baltimore Avenue Corridor.
Assets
The corridor contains a robust transportation infrastructure with increasing traffic projections.
The corridor has a rich history and contains many valuable historical and cultural resources such as the Amelia Givin Library.
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Mt. Holly Springs – Baltimore Avenue Corridor Study / Final Report
The corridor is home to some of the regionʹs most important paper manufacturing entities and core services.
The corridor is in close proximity to regional places like the Holly Marsh Preserve and Mountain Creek and various outdoor activities.
The corridor has affordable and attractive housing stock.
The relatively wide roadway width of Baltimore Avenue provides potential for pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular circulation improvements.
Constraints
The corridor has large traffic volumes, including trucks, which travel the corridor at high speeds that are not compatible with pedestrian activities and retail uses.
Lack of a defined gateways and pedestrian crossing focus.
Many areas of the corridor lack the necessary pedestrian and bicycle facilities to make walking and biking viable transportation options.
Despite some well‐defined development at Mill and Pine Streets, much of Baltimore Avenue does not have a coherent identity or sense of place.
Portions of the study area throughout the corridor have suffered from disinvestment and some traditionally commercial/residential areas now experience higher rates of vacancy.
The corridor is underutilized for residential uses.
Large areas of impervious coverage exacerbate existing storm water and flooding issues.
Parks and open space in the Borough are not well connected to residential neighborhoods; many recreation areas are only accessible by automobile.
Much of the corridorʹs population is under educated with incomes lower than the regionʹs median.
The Borough has a history and reputation of drug use problems.
Key Challenges
Community Identity (Who lives here?)
People who live in Mount Holly Springs generally work elsewhere.
There is a fear of change.
There is a high number of rental units in the community (> 37%)
Needed sidewalk improvements and people’s expectations.
The mean income level of the community.
Lack of community activities.
Lack of available properties for new businesses.
The adoption of new zoning regulations.
The outside perception of Mount Holly Springs.
The perception that there is a lack of parking.
Opportunities
The corridor is well positioned to develop in a sustainable manner because it is a transportation network link from Routes 30 and 15 to the south to Carlisle and Route I‐81 to the north.
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The traditional town center of Mount Holly Springs represents a unique and distinctive place to live, work, and recreate.
The corridor contains a series of vacant and underutilized parcels which may be repurposed to better serve the needs of local residents and regional populations.
Contemporary, more sustainable methods of storm water management can help Mount Holly Springs achieve environmental management goals.
In many places, vehicular and pedestrian circulation can be enhanced by defining and consolidating property access points.
Demand for healthy lifestyle choices and sustainability indicate support for initiatives such as neighborhood walkability.
The small and defined geographic nature of Mount Holly Springs provides a great opportunity to track every improvement dollar spent and determine the success of the investment by monitoring the outcome.
FOCUS AREA The recommendations contained in this document are focused on the Baltimore Avenue Corridor from the intersection of PA Route 34 and 94 at the southern end, and the Watts Street intersection at the northern end. The traffic impact focus area was expanded beyond the original area, from Pine to Mill Street, in order to assess the existing geometric and traffic conditions and determine whether the network would be able to maintain adequate levels of service while incorporating enhanced pedestrian, vehicular and bicycle friendly features in the focus area. The focus area was studied in detail both during the day and night‐time hours, on foot and on bike, in order to develop a comprehensive understanding of existing Baltimore Avenue and surrounding area conditions.
South Baltimore Avenue from 34/94 Split at Yates Street to pine Street Intersection
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Mt. Holly Springs – Baltimore Avenue Corridor Study / Final Report