Pocono News Section

Improvements Coming to Scranton's Hill Section

Improvements Coming to Scranton's Hill Section - Thursday, March 25, 2010 at 04:03AM EST

Reported by: Eric Deabill
Thursday March 25 2010
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SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY - Major improvements will soon be coming to one part of Scranton.

State officials announced Thursday morning that they are pumping one million dollars into the city's hill section.

The money will be used for a five-block area of Mulberry Street. It will begin on Jefferson Avenue and go all the way up to North Webster Avenue.

Some of the changes will include new sidewalks, new lights and benches.

Matthew McWhorter walks along Mulberry Street all the time. He knows it doesn't have the best reputation.

"It's kind of dark. It could use some color and just some lights," McWhorter said.

Hillary Bellomo, a graduate student at the University of Scranton agrees.

"It's a little run-down. There's a lot of potholes. There's kind of a lot of garbage sometimes and sometimes walking on the sidewalks can be dangerous and you can break an ankle," Bellomo said.

Soon, all of that will hopefully change.

State Representative Ken Smith helped secure one million dollars which will be used for the Mulberry Street Improvement Project.

"A lot of our students live on both sides of the street and cross back and forth, so the safety of our students and our neighbors is also an aim in this project," University of Scranton president Rev. Scott Pilarz said.

Business leaders are also excited about the plans. They hope it will bring more shoppers into the area.

"I think with all the work that's going to be done, that will bring people in and it will help improve things for the businesses in the area," East Scranton Business Association President David Searing said.

The project will be completed in several different phases.