The Logan Township supervisors Thursday authorized an application for a $3 million grant from the state Department of Community and Economic Development’s Multi-Modal Transportation Grant program to help pay for construction of a second entrance to the township’s Strawberry Hills recreation area.

It is the third application to the state for grant money for that second entrance.

In January, the township applied for $2.3 million from PennDOT’s Multi-Modal Transportation Grant program and in November, the township applied for $1 million from the Local Share Account program.

In connection with the new application, the supervisors sent a letter saying they’re willing to put up a $500,000 match.

A match isn’t mandatory, but a statement of willingness to pay it should improve the odds of getting the grant, officials said.

The PennDOT grant program requires a 30% match — or $700,000 — for the requested amount.

The current primary access to Strawberry Hills is from the west, via Grandview Road, North Fifth Street, North 19th Avenue and North Eighth Street, while the proposed second access would be from the east, via North Ninth Street in Juniata, according to township officials.

The proposed new access would allow for better traffic flow and be safer, according to officials.

“It’s a lot cleaner shot from (Juniata),” than from Grandview Township Manager Tim Brown has said.

The total cost of the second access project would be about $2.5 million, according to minutes of a prior meeting.

The new access route would start from the western end of North Ninth Street, which is in good shape and runs to within a block of the tract, according to township Planning Director Cassandra Schmick.

The road would continue into the site to where facilities are planned.

The second access would be a total of 4,000 feet long.

The design calls for the road to be constructed for easy accommodation of other potential development within the site.

The plans include construction of sidewalks and a walking trail parallel to the road.

Plans for Strawberry Hills also include construction of additional walking trails, soccer fields, pavilion, a playground, a parking area, fencing, signage, landscaping, stormwater controls and utilities.

There has been talk of Strawberry Hills being a potential site for an indoor sports complex that has been proposed for Blair County.

Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.