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Plans are in the works and funding is being sought to extend the Susquehanna Riverwalk toward Elm Park and Susquehanna State Park.

Just recently, the administration of Mayor Derek Slaughter received permission from Williamsport City Council to authorize the state Department of Transportation (PennDOT) to request railroad crossing alterations at Maynard and Arch streets from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC).

A railway operates through the city and at crossings at Maynard and Arch streets.

In order for the crossing to be altered, requests must be made to the PUC by and through PennDOT, said Gary Knarr, city zoning administrator with the Bureau of Codes.

The Susquehanna Riverwalk extension will begin at Maynard Street, go north and prior to the Sheetz property go west running along the Pennsylvania College of Technology before it turns north again and goes up Rose Street to connect with West Fourth Street, Knarr said.

It will cross Third Street prior to the Lycoming County transfer station going behind River Valley Transit, 1500 W. Third St., and along Elm Park.

The path will cross the railroad bridge across Lycoming Creek and connect to Arch Street and have a spur that runs south connecting to Susquehanna State Park and the Reach Road Park and Ride area, Knarr said and a map provided to council showed.

The riverwalk helps promote tourism, improve economic development, provides opportunities for healthier lifestyles through exercise and is a bicycle route and connector through much of the city.

The construction of the extension is in the design phase and will be covered through grants sought for by Lycoming County commissioners and from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

The extension incorporates and integrates the city’s Newberry and Jaysburg sections and provides accessibility from Elm Park, close to Memorial Park.

The existing riverwalk also will be seeing an accessibility point improved in a separate project where pedestrians can access it via Basin Street south of the I-180 underpass.

The riverwalk pathway goes across the West Branch of the Susquehanna River at two bridges and through South Williamsport borough and links up paths in Loyalsock Township and Montoursville borough.

Councilman Vince Pulizzi asked about the budget funding during a prior committee meeting. It was for the first phase $97,380 from Lycoming County. The remainder comprises part of a DCNR grant and another state grant as it will in a second phase of construction.

Pulizzi thought it was a great step forward providing it does not involve tapping into the city general fund. At this time, the projects will be paid for using the grants and not city revenue.