Tag Archives: Mayor Eric Papenfuse

Harrisburg debuts redesigned website focused on easier navigation, better user experience

June 21, 2021 | by Maddie Gittens

Harrisburg’s updated website.

Do you want to pay your trash bill or property taxes? In need of a parking permit?

Harrisburg officials announced today a new and improved website that, they hope, will make finding information, paying bills and reporting issues more convenient.

Over the last decade, the city has redesigned its website several times, the last time around seven years ago. In city council meetings over the past year, residents have occasionally brought up issues they’ve experienced with the city’s online presence. According to the city, it was community feedback that helped shape the website’s layout and structure.

“As a city dedicated to serving our public with essential services, we know that providing quick and easy access to important information is a key factor in how we provide the best possible customer service to our businesses and residents,” said Mayor Eric Papenfuse in a statement. “Our new website ensures greater accessibility 24/7.”

A homepage menu bar allows users to navigate through government departments, resident services, public safety resources, business information and a page for visitors.

Welcoming users to the website is an image of the “Harrisburg” mural located on the side of Midtown Cinema, a project organized by Sprocket Mural Works and painted by artists Jacintha Kruc and Sharnee Burnett in 2015. Also featured on the homepage is the city’s new logo, an illustration of the Susquehanna River and the state Capitol.

Additionally, community members can find a section of featured resources with quick links to get information about trash and recycling, paying bills, street closures, parking, city jobs and other documents.

Buttons at the top of the screen allow users to choose their desired language, call the city’s Help Desk or report an issue.

The website also includes a calendar of Harrisburg events and meeting dates, and the latest news from the city.

Harrisburg enlisted local brand communications agency, Gavin, to redesign the website. In January 2020, city council approved an agreement with Gavin for services totaling an estimated $39,710 with a $1,250 annual support fee.

“Today’s cities are facing increasing demand by their publics to offer greater accessibility and responsiveness, making a highly-functioning website essential to government success in serving their publics’ needs in real time,” Gavin CEO/President Mandy Arnold said in a statement. “The City of Harrisburg’s new website provides the city improved flexibility as the needs of the public continue to evolve.”

To visit Harrisburg’s website, click here.

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The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

May 14, 2021 | by Maddie Conley Gittens

The Broad Street Market

With warm spring weather in the forecast, it may be the perfect weekend to get out and about. Find a place for some weekend dining in our special food issue of the magazine. Don’t forget to catch up on this past week’s local news, listed and linked below.

Artists are putting together events to showcase their craft and support each other during difficult times. In our online story, read about a few upcoming events including dancing, music and art.

Baseball is back, as the Senators started off their season this week at FNB Field. Our magazine article tells the story of how the minor league team survived a year off the field and how they’re getting back into the swing of things.

The Broad Street Market launched a fundraiser to repair and upgrade the large sign attached to the front of the 160-year-old stone market building, our online story reported. In December, a windstorm damaged the sign, which is now missing two letters.

TheBurg Podcast came out this week! Click here to hear from Harrisburg Senators President Kevin Kulp, director of the Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District Todd Vander Woude, and Amy Tiehel of the PA Lyme Resource Network. This episode features all things spring!

A charter school has its sights set on Midtown Harrisburg as its location, our online story reported. The nursing-focused school is seeking approval from the Harrisburg School District, which has been known to oppose charters.

Construction will begin in the coming weeks on a long-awaited project to convert N. 2^nd Street from one-way to two-way, our online story reported. Harrisburg plans to have the project completed by October 2022.

Dauphin County opened its application process for a new commissioner, our reporting found. At the end of May, commission Chair Jeff Haste will retire, leaving his seat vacant.

A development project is planned for downtown Harrisburg, our reporting found. City council approved Harristown Enterprises’ plans to convert an office building to apartments.

Friends of TheBurg is celebrating its one-year anniversary. Read the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association’s write-up about the program.

The Harrisburg-area housing market took flight in April, with both home sales and prices up substantially, our online story reported.

Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse said he plans to trial a guaranteed income program in Harrisburg, our online story reported. He would seek to use federal American Rescue Plan funds to implement it.

The Harrisburg Regional Chamber and CREDC announced their choice for a new president and CEO—Ryan Unger. The board has searched for 1½ years for someone to fill the shoes of retiring president Dave Black, our online story reported.

Harrisburg University is bringing acoustic rock duo Rodrigo y Gabriela and folk-band CAAMP to Harrisburg in the fall, our reporting found. HU Presents has added several dates for live music in the area recently, including outdoors in Riverfront Park.

Lyme Resource Network is the state’s leading advocacy group for Lyme disease awareness, education and support. Read in our magazine story how they’re educating Pennsylvanians on how to stay tick- and disease-free.

Public pools in Harrisburg will open next month in a step towards a post-COVID summer, our online story reported. Pools at the Jackson Lick and Hall Manor housing complexes will likely open for swimming by late June, according to city officials.

Rosemary has a springtime dish that she’s dying for you to try. Enjoy cooking and devouring her pasta with asparagus and salmon recipe, here.

Sara Bozich has a list of events perfect for this beautiful spring weekend. Check out what’s happening in Harrisburg and beyond, here.

A sidewalk expansion on 3^rd Street now completes the loop around the state Capitol complex, our reporting found. The new stretch of sidewalk is ADA accessible and safer for residents.

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Harrisburg breaks ground on 2nd Street two-way conversion project

May 13, 2021 | by Maddie Conley Gittens

N. 2nd Street in Harrisburg

Harrisburg residents will start to see changes coming to N. 2nd Street as the city reconfigures it to be safer and more walkable.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse had no well wishes for N. 2nd Street as we know it, as he ceremoniously broke ground on the $5.7 million conversion project on Thursday morning.

“We are about to embark upon reversing one of the worst engineering decisions in our city’s modern history,” he said.

N. 2nd Street was long a two-way, neighborhood street. However, the state and city converted several streets to one-way traffic, including N. 2nd Street, in the 1950s to accommodate suburban commuters.

Harrisburg now will return the pattern back to two-way traffic from Forster to Division streets, adding pedestrian and bike-friendly elements, Papenfuse said. The switch to two-way will come near the end of the project on April 19, 2022, city Engineer Wayne Martin said.

Construction will begin in the coming weeks, as the city takes on adding over 100 ADA-accessible ramps to intersections along the corridor, in compliance with PennDOT’s construction guidelines, according to Martin. Portions of the brick sidewalk near the intersections will be replaced, as well.

“You’re going to see a much more accessible street for everyone,” Papenfuse said.

The city will then replace traffic signals with mini-roundabouts in the intersections at Kelker, Verbeke and Reily streets.

New traffic signals will be added to accommodate the two-way flow of traffic, along with new crosswalks and pedestrian refuge areas in the middle of the road. New markings on the road will remind drivers to share the road with bicyclists.

A rendering of the two-way street

During construction, sections of the corridor may shift to two lanes for brief periods of time, Martin said.

Once this work is done, the section of N. 2nd Street will switch to two-way traffic with a 25-mph speed limit. The entire stretch will be repaved, along with some sections of the cross roads. Martin expects all construction to be completed by mid-October 2022.

The city originally planned to convert the road to two-way at the beginning of the project, but construction plans changed for efficiency reasons, Martin explained. Officials said that they also wanted the conversion to coincide with a road width reduction project coming to Forster Street between the Harvey Taylor Bridge and N. 2^nd Street.

Wallace Montgomery is the designer for the project and JVI Group was awarded the contract.

The N. 2^nd Street project falls under the city’s Vision Zero initiative to reduce pedestrian fatalities in Harrisburg, city officials said.

Papenfuse highlighted some other upcoming road changes that are part of that plan.

A roundabout construction on 7^th Street is in progress and expected to be completed next year, around the same time as the 2^nd Street project.

This year, the city will start work on one of Harrisburg’s most dangerous roads, State Street, which will reduce the width of that corridor on Allison Hill.

Martin added that a mini-roundabout project at the intersection of Mulder and Derry streets will go up for bid today. The Allison Hill paving project, which will pave multiple corridors in the neighborhood, will also go to bid today.

During this year and next, Harrisburg will complete a number of paving projects totaling $10 million, Papenfuse said.

“We have a lot planned in the city,” Papenfuse said. “It’s all part of a comprehensive Vision Zero commitment to making Harrisburg more walkable and safer for all.”

To learn more about Harrisburg’s Vision Zero program, visit their website.

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Harrisburg mayor proposes trial of guaranteed income program to combat poverty

May 12, 2021 | by Maddie Conley Gittens

Harrisburg’s MLK Jr. Government Center

Harrisburg has been compared before to Stockton, Calif., as both cities have a shared history of financial crisis.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse hopes Harrisburg soon will have another thing in common with the western city, this time more positive: a guaranteed income program for residents.

“This is something that we are considering in Harrisburg, more than considering,” Papenfuse said. “I want to move forward with it.”

During the city’s weekly Facebook Live event last week, Papenfuse spoke virtually with former Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs about his city’s experience with a trial for an income floor program to combat poverty.

The program, as piloted in 2017 in Stockton, gave $500 per month for two years to 125 residents at or below the city’s median income level.

While Stockton didn’t have the resources to offer the program to the whole city, municipal officials saw it as a way to test it on a small scale, receive data and advocate for a similar program at the federal level, Tubbs explained.

“Poverty was the root of all of our issues in Stockton,” Tubbs said. “We couldn’t just point our fingers and do nothing. We had to use our city as a laboratory for democracy.”

Tubbs said that the findings of the guaranteed income pilot showed that many recipients transitioned from part-time to full-time jobs, working more than before. They also found that most residents used the funds for expenses related to utilities, food or their children’s needs. Additionally, as a result of the program, residents’ mental health improved, he said.

“The data shows that $500 was enough to serve as a bridge for opportunity,” he said.

Since then, Tubbs started “Mayors for a Guaranteed Income,” to activate other city officials to try out the program for themselves.

Papenfuse said that he has pledged his support, joining 45 mayors from across the country. Now, he wants to start a similar program in Harrisburg.

With the $48.8 million in federal funds coming to the city as part of the American Rescue Plan, Papenfuse said that some of that money may be allocated to a multi-year income floor program.

Papenfuse said that he plans to implement the program with the help of the University of Pennsylvania. He has not announced a timeline for the project.

“The wealth disparity in Harrisburg and throughout the country has only been further exacerbated by COVID,” he said. “If we are going to bounce back, we’ve got to make sure everyone bounces back and address these basic systemic issues.”

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Harrisburg reconstructs 3rd Street sidewalk near Capitol, making it wider, ADA-accessible

May 11, 2021 | by Maddie Conley Gittens

City officials cut the ribbon on the newly reconstructed sidewalk.

The circle is now complete, as Harrisburg has cut the ribbon on the final stretch of sidewalk expansion around the state Capitol.

On Tuesday, city officials unveiled a new ADA-accessible length of sidewalk on N. 3rd Street surrounding the building.

“The old sidewalk was what they call an ankle buster,” Mayor Eric Papenfuse said.

About a decade ago, the state expanded the narrow strip of concrete that long surrounded much of the Capitol along Walnut and N. 3rd streets, constructing a full-sized walk. However, it left the job unfinished near the front of the building.

The newly reconstructed sidewalk extends the full-sized, 10-foot-wide walk from State Street to North Street, completing the loop around the building. The sidewalk expansion removed parking spaces along the street. However, that parking loss was made up last year, when the city built additional angled parking spaces and electric vehicle charging stations in front of the State Museum.

Across the street, at a bus stop near the intersection at North and 3^rd streets, a bump out from the sidewalk also was added. City Engineer Wayne Martin said this will increase safety for riders by making it easier for them to board the bus. ADA-accessible ramps were added to the sidewalks, as well.

The state Department of General Services helped the city fund the sidewalk project.

Papenfuse said that these changes help make the city more walkable and safer—the goal of Harrisburg’s Vision Zero initiative to reduce pedestrian fatalities.

“You’re going to see these types of improvements in every corridor of our city,” he said.

For more information on the city’s Vision Zero initiative, visit their website.

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Harrisburg plans to open Hall Manor, Jackson Lick pools in late June

May 10, 2021 | by Maddie Conley Gittens

Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse celebrated a day of free swimming at the Jackson Lick pool in July 2019.

Harrisburg expects to open both its municipal pools next month in a step towards a post-COVID summer.

According to the city, the public pools at the Jackson Lick and Hall Manor housing complexes will likely open for swimming by late June.

“The city is looking forward to opening both pools this year for residents to enjoy,” said Dave Baker, the city’s parks and facilities director.

The two pools were closed for the 2020 season, due to the pandemic.

In previous years, the city has wrestled with how to keep the 53-year-old pools up and running. In recent years, both have been repeatedly patched and repaired, leading to delays and closures. Harrisburg has considered completely renovating both pools, but decided the multi-million-dollar price tag was too high.

Harrisburg has explored more affordable options, such as replacing the pools with spray park/splash pad installations.

Nonetheless, the pools will open for the 2021 season, according to the city, which is now testing the pool facilities and training staff.

When the pools do open, COVID-19 safety guidelines and protocols will be followed, Baker said.

The Jackson Lick pool is located at 1205 N. 6^th St., Harrisburg and the Hall Manor pool is located at 1413 South 18^th St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit the city’s website.

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Upgrades complete to make Market Square bus transfer center safer, ADA accessible

May 4, 2021 | by Maddie Conley Gittens

Harrisburg, CAT and PennDOT officials discussed updates to the Market Square transfer center on Tuesday.

Buses rolled in and out of the Market Square transfer center in downtown Harrisburg on Tuesday, as local and state officials gathered there to discuss transportation safety initiatives.

PennDOT highlighted its recent work increasing safety and ADA accessibility at the transfer center, used as a stop for Capital Area Transit (CAT) buses at 2^nd and Market streets.

“Improving transit facilities is important,” said PennDOT Deputy Secretary for Multimodal Transportation Jennie Granger. “Public transit connects people to their communities, transports them to medical appointments […] to shopping and to visit loved ones.”

Improvements to the transfer center included adding new signals and signs for pedestrians and bus drivers, installing leaning rails and new bus shelters for riders waiting at the stop, and constructing ADA-accessible crosswalks, among other small changes. Construction began last summer and was completed this spring.

According to Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse, the project aligns with the city’s Vision Zero initiative to reduce pedestrian fatalities in the city. The area around the transfer center was problematic, he said, according to Harrisburg’s High Injury Network data.

“We are following the data, and we’ve already seen a great improvement in how people are crossing the street,” Papenfuse said.

In other news, CAT Executive Director Rich Farr noted the transportation system’s ongoing efforts to help people get to vaccine administration sites.

Since mid-February, CAT, along with York-based rabbittransit, has offered free rides to over 2,000 people headed to get vaccinated in central PA.

“Safety is our core value,” Farr said. “Most recently, we are about the business of safely transporting our residents to receive their vaccines.”

For more information on how to travel for free to a vaccination site with Capital Area Transit, visit their website.

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Micah Parsons receives the key to Harrisburg, community celebrates the NFL pick

May 3, 2021 | by Maddie Conley Gittens

Micah Parsons received the key to the city at HMAC.

On Monday, football fans and community members packed into the Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center, eager to see the city’s newest superstar.

Micah Parsons has had quite the week. On Thursday, he was drafted into the NFL as a first-round pick for the Dallas Cowboys. Today, Mayor Eric Papenfuse handed him the key to Harrisburg, the city he calls home.

“He embodies the work ethic and the success that is possible for all of us,” Papenfuse said. “He’s so inspiring.”

Parsons, 21, grew up in Uptown Harrisburg, attended Harrisburg High School and went on to play football for Penn State University as a linebacker. Parsons graduated early and now looks forward to a future with the NFL team he had hoped to play for.

But on Monday, with family, friends and plenty of fans, he took a moment to celebrate in the community where it all started.

“It really means a lot to get the key to the city,” Parsons said. “Harrisburg really means a lot to me.”

A large crowd gathered at HMAC to see Parsons

Yvette Wright stood in the crowd with her 13-year-old son. He wore a Cowboys face mask and shirt. Wright told me how he had been playing football since he was little.

“My son looks up to Micah Parsons because we’ve both come from the same city and the same school district,” she said. “This is something positive for him and other young athletes to look up to.”

After the presentation, dozens of kids and families lined up to meet Parsons and get an autograph. Parsons said that he was once in their shoes, looking up to professional sports players.

“There’s really no difference between me and you,” he said. “We wake up the same, we get the same 24 hours […] It’s about what you do in your 24 hours.”

Parsons encouraged his young fans to continue working hard and said that he plans to help the youth however he can. Parsons himself has a 3-year-old son.

“One of the things that impresses me about Micah is he’s already thinking about how he can give back to this community,” Papenfuse said.

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Pothole Problems? Harrisburg wants to know about them

April 23, 2021 | by Maddie Conley Gittens

Pothole on the 2000-block of N. 3rd St.

If you find yourself hitting a rut, the city wants to know.

Harrisburg announced on Friday a new way to report potholes on city streets using an online mapping system.

“I appreciate the ongoing efforts of our Public Works crews in addressing these needed road repairs,” said Mayor Eric Papenfuse in a statement. “This new tool developed by our IT team will make it easier for residents to notify the city about potholes in their neighborhoods.”

Residents can report potholes on Harrisburg’s website, along with the location of the road damage, their contact information and any other details. The data will be entered into a geographic information system (GIS) map for the Department of Public Works to access.

“As weather conditions allow, we are using hot asphalt to patch up the roads throughout the city,” said Dave West, director of Public Works. “I encourage residents to use this new tool to alert us on locations that need addressed.”

Last year, Harrisburg launched a similar online database for residents to report the illegal use of fireworks. This is available at harrisburgpa.gov/fireworks.

To report potholes, visit https://harrisburgpa.gov/potholes/. Residents can also report issues via phone by dialing 3-1-1 or 717-255-3040, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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It’s Electric! Harrisburg adds charging stations on City Island, buys electric vehicles

April 22, 2021 | by Maddie Conley Gittens

City officials cut the ribbon on charging stations on City Island and new city electric vehicles.

When it comes to making environmentally friendly choices, Harrisburg is stepping on the gas, well, electric.

On Thursday, city officials unveiled electric vehicle charging stations in the City Island Garage and showed off two new hybrid vehicles that they’ve added to Harrisburg’s fleet.

“We are really excited about this,” Mayor Eric Papenfuse said. “We are looking forward to converting our city fleet in the years to come.”

Through a $36,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s “Driving PA Forward” program, Harrisburg was able to install eight charging stations for both city and public use.

Harrisburg received a similar grant from the state DEP in February 2020 for charging stations on N. 3^rd Street.

Harrisburg will utilize the City Island charging stations for the two new 2020 Ford Escape hybrid plug-in vehicles it purchased. The shiny white cars will replace two 12-year-old city vehicles, according to Fleet Manager Nick Fisher.

Over the next five years, they hope to add 10 EV cars each year, he added. Each year, the hybrid Ford Escapes will save the city around $460 per vehicle, compared to a gas-only Ford Escape.

The new cars compared to the 12-year-old cars will save around $1,300, according to the city.

This, Papenfuse said, isn’t just money in the pocket of the city, but of residents, as well.

“It’ll be real savings for the taxpayers, and we are excited to launch it,” Papenfuse said.

The city’s hybrid cars will require charging every night, said Sustainability Coordinator Chris Nafe.

The public can use the City Island Garage stations on Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Nafe and Papenfuse demonstrated how to use the stations, utilizing the ChargePoint app. Each hour of charging costs 72 cents per hour.

Converting to electric vehicles is just one of the ways Harrisburg is going green, Nafe explained.

They also are in the process of working with Harrisburg University and the Department of Environmental Protection on a “Climate Action Plan” with the goal of reducing greenhouse gases.

“These are the kinds of programs that we are looking at continuing and expanding going forward as part of the Climate Action Plan,” Nafe said of the electric vehicle conversions.

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