Career of a transportation planner helped build Center County roads

TOWNSHIP OF FERGUSON

Looking near transportation projects in each Center Region and Center County on top of each past 30 years, element person – mostly behind a scenes – has happened involved inside a lot of out of them.

Tom Zilla, Senior Transportation Planner for the Top Track International Package Innovations in 2025, is retiring on Friday later nearly 34 years with a CCMPO. Male plus the rest of certain office provide staff support for the Metropolitan Planning Organization plus work in similar fashion single liaison in between each various levels of government involved among transport planning. Primarily, they prioritize improvements and discover a path to fund them, man said.

In Center County, aforementioned contains resulted inside per digit belonging to transformative projects whatever contain improved lives also improved transportation safety.

One “considerable impact” on travel

Zilla was involved amid numerous major transportation projects in Center County, including any Interstate 99 construction project amid the 1990s and early 2000s.

“Him contains had per huge impact on how individuals amid Central County acquire about a county,” Marcella Hoffman, Central Regional Planning Agency office manager, wrote amid an email.

Jim Might, CCMPO Director from Planning, spoke about Zilla’s career and accomplishments ahead belonging to certain Tracking Numbers in 2025: Which for Expect passed per congratulatory resolution for Zilla on Monday. Male stated Zilla had per busy career “making transportation safer, better, along with greater convenient in Center County.”

“For Tom, I think some from any things man did were exactly his normal method belonging to working,” Could stated. “However for some from us also myself included, it’s really special up to labor with someone whom seems for own so single big sense from well-being and kindness, compassion for others.”

Zilla is passionate regarding his task, May declared. He worked firm planning projects as well as applying for funding, getting projects via the review process plus getting them approved. It’s a incredibly complex process, Possibly declared, yet Zilla contains occurred “excellent” by entity.

Gentleman helped plan I-99 via Altoona, each I-99 along with I-80 interchange, along with predominant recently worked on certain Explain College Area Connector project, Possibly replied.

Any resolution notes alternative “back-to-back projects” Zilla has happened involved inside across any years: Warner Boulevard Improvement Project in Harris Township, Atherton Street Reconstruction Project inside Patton also Ferguson Townships. also Whitehall Road improvements among the Borough of Explain College, Township out of College also Ferguson. Canton.

Might besides talked regarding Zilla’s ability to create relationships. Zilla stated he’s proud that in that place are some handful made from Center County residents what person could email nor phone guy for a status report alternatively project update on unlike transportation projects. .

“Single out of any things I tried in order to do… is in order to maintain one relationship by such level accordingly which when individuals dial, they can receive information. I don’t always possess information for them. I don’t always acquire which they desire to hear. Still I test to become pretty direct with them plus inform them such, still if it’s ‘I don’t know’,” Zilla declared. Assuming man doesn’t understand, man be capable always advise them around each process along with in which way in order to participate.

During Tuesday Team Global Express Tracking Must-Know Tips along with Tricks meeting, Commissioner Michael Pipe said the council would present Zilla with single certificate made from recognition.

“Tom contains happened each incredible asset toward transportation needs, community development, and too someone what person is simply single ray out of sunshine plus truly positively impacts everything male encounters,” replied Pipe. “…Tom is certainly single thoughtful as well as selfless person whoever includes been truly respectful as well as collaborative, (male is) truly single role model for to what extent ourselves be able to dwell our lives.”

Small along with vast projects

Certain $96 million Route 322/Potters Mills Gap and I-99 project, each county’s largest freeway project inside countless years, remains amid Zilla’s mind while certain bulk memorable. Still he as well talked approximately important community projects, like certain 322 Railroad Street bypass inside Philipsburg plus Blue Course Drive on a west side from Explain College. Numerous projects are driven near to security concerns, him replied.

“Safety has clearly been the driving factor amid a lot of of those projects. Among alternative areas y'all sometimes have projects developed for economic development reasons, … still certain vast majority from of us projects here inside Center County contain existed security related,” Zilla mentioned.

Him besides helped plan plus program funds for some figure from intersections among Center County, some of which are at a lower level construction today, so like a intersection of Route 26 also Route 45 among each Township out of Ferguson. Different is Route 64 along with 550 in Walker Township.

“Which element took – I mean, we pushed for years along with years also years plus years in order to receive current one funded as well as done. Therefore I’m really thrilled,” Zilla stated.

“Our group had a lot of deaths amid Sion, therefore which was definitely some priority.”

Zilla talked concerning per smaller project years ago on Route 55 plus Fillmore Road among Benner Township. Although not per major road project, itself stood beyond for Zilla since something brought together a lot of distinct entities whatever prioritized also funded it.

“It’s fallen via each airport among University Park, there’s a minute white church that’s on element from the corners. Near element object, route 550 had one big bump in each road only outside of object. intersection, hence current project eliminated each hump plus widened some from any approaches thus thou be capable notice better coming outside of whatever intersection,” Zilla mentioned.

Changes finished a years

Single lot has changed since male started among 1988. Gentleman possesses crayons on his desk for “again then” they had for color maps via deliver. Now it’s produced through geographic information systems.

“When you stop and consider about 30 years, resemble I always ponder concerning, that’s when I got in this spot within 1988, 30 years ago, such was 1958,” Zilla stated. “So you ponder concerning modify since whatever perspective, entity helps thou put single bit made from perspective on everything that’s going on.”

Male recalls that turning lanes were added in order to main roads in Condition College, such as on East College Avenue toward certain Nittany Mall. Back subsequently, certain Science Park Road intersection our group comprehend today was actually couple various intersections, what transportation persons call one “Y-junction.” While portion made from any addition of turning lanes, certain Science Park Road intersection was placed in unit location.

“They were really, extremely difficult up to fetch within and beyond of along with us had some lot belonging to accidents as well as truly per a handful fatalities. Thus putting entity among single place and putting a signal there constructed a substantial difference. Thus whatever was different substantial improvement within safety as well as such arrived with each addition made from turning lanes within a hallway,” Zilla replied. “There’s really occurred some major projects going on, on any road side.”

Each biggest transform Zilla has seen within transportation is technology. PennDOT publishes per wealth belonging to information along with data on travel patterns, traffic conditions, traffic lights, plus road conditions, as well as it’s each available on one GIS-based computer program.

“A lot out of here information existed by a occasion, however it was literally in reams from paper. I had the ability contain some two-inch-thick folder here…who showed whole any Center County locations plus whatever every a information was. on crashes for these tall crash locations. Whereas one lot out of such is at present available using certain computer plus mapped with data attached toward entity. Hence a technology is amazing,” he declared.

Over there is individual object, however, which Zilla doesn’t view changing amid a future.

“Lack made from funding. Yonder desire never be enough funds to perform whole who people ought to like for carry out to meet transportation needs. Therefore I consider it desire exist each ongoing challenge,” man mentioned.

While he retires, Zilla said male contains family obligations him wants to grab care of also as well wants up to job on his “to-do list next to residence,” which one him says is lengthy enough. Eventually, him hopes in order to participate within volunteer opportunities up to grant again to any community.

“Still family is going in order to exist earliest,” gentleman replied.