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UPDATE: November 9, 2007
Pa. 997 bridge project inches toward launch
"...The state Department of Transportation published the project
for bids. Contractors have until Dec. 13 to bid on the contract.
The two-lane bridge at Exit 20 has been scheduled to be widened
to five lanes for longer than a decade. Right-of-way
acquisitions and utility preparations have hampered the project,
now estimated at $9.6 million.
The bridge is one of poorest in Franklin County's I-81 corridor,
according to federal bridge standards...."
from the Local Digest, Public Opinion,
November 9, 2007
October 12, 2007
"...PennDOT is sticking to its announced bid opening in December
and construction start in spring. The project should be
advertised for bids within a month, according to PennDOT
spokesman Greg Penny.
The $10 million bridge project has been a priority for more than
a decade, but has proceeded slowly because of right-of-way
acquisitions and engineering to relocate six utilities....
Coordinating the relocations with six different utility
companies in a relatively small area is taking more time than we
had hoped," R. Scott Christie, acting district executive for
PennDOT District 8-0, wrote to state Rep. Rob Kauffman,
R-Chambersburg, on Sept. 27. "The department must review the
information and verify there are no conflicts with the proposed
construction (schedule)."...
PennDOT vows action on bridge by
Jim Hook, Senior writer, Public Opinion,
October 12, 2007
"...If PennDOT
believed the Pa. 997 bridge -- built in 1963 -- needed to be
replaced and widened more than a decade ago, it stands to reason
that it needs to be replaced now. Planning for the bridge
project began 16 years ago and money for it was appropriated in
1995. More than 21,000 vehicles a day
pass over the two-lane bridge above Interstate 81 near Scotland.
It's nearly as busy as the county's busiest commercial strip,
five-lane Lincoln Way East (U.S. 30) in front of Wal-Mart in
Guilford Township...." from
Our view: Don't delay Pa. 997 bridge any longer
by
Kathy Leedy, on behalf of the
Public Opinion Editorial Board, September 13, 2007
Franklin County, PA "Replacing the Pa. 997 bridge
over Interstate 81 slipped into the future again, just as Rep.
Rob Kauffman, R-Chambersburg, urged the Pennsylvania Department
of Transportation to stick to its timetable.
"How many times has it been they start to go to bid and are set
to this, that or the other thing, and it never happens?"
Kauffman said this week. "We cannot put this off any longer.
Let's keep it moving. Maybe it can't be moved up.
Let's keep it to October."
Too late, Mr. Representative.
PennDOT was scheduled to open bids in October for the $9.6
million project to widen the bridge to five lanes. The date had
been moved back twice this year -- from June to August, then
August to October.
Bid opening currently is set for Dec. 13,
according to PennDOT spokesman Greg Penny.
"This project just keeps sliding," Penny said on Monday.
"It's difficult to clear the utilities and
rights of way for it. It's very frustrating for all
involved...."
Delay hits Pa. 997 bridge work: Bid opening for I-81 overpass
postponed - again - to October by
Jim Hook, Senior Writer, Public Opinion,
September 12, 2007
Our Congressman Bill
Shuster serves on the Transportation and Infrastructure
Committee which oversees our nation’s highways, airports,
bridges, railroads, dams and ports.
Congressman Bill Shuster
United States House of Representatives
1108 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-3809
202-225-2431
202-225-2486 (fax)
Email a message to Rep. Shuster at:
http://www.house.gov/shuster/zipauth.htm
Rep.
Shuster's office in Chambersburg, PA:
100 Lincoln Way East, Suite B
Chambersburg, PA 17201
717-264-8308
717-264-0269 (fax)
Terry L. Punt, PA State Senator
Senate District 33
Senate Box 203033
Harrisburg, PA 17120-3033
ROOM: 16 East Wing
TELEPHONE: (717) 787-4651
District Office Address:
Commonwealth
of
Pennsylvania
166
South Main Street
Suite 2,
Kerrstown Square
Chambersburg
,
PA
17201
Senator
Punt's Email:
skohr@pasen.gov
►More
info about the PA 997 Bridge over I-81
(Click)
"PennDOT Secretary Allen D. Biehler, P.E., announced today that
both the sufficiency and condition ratings for all 25,000
state-maintained bridges are now available on PennDOT’s Web
site, www.dot.state.pa.us. “The safety of the state’s bridges is
paramount,” Biehler said. “The bottom line remains that if a
bridge is found to be unsafe, it is closed, and if a bridge can
only carry certain weights, it’s posted with limits.”
...Along with the list of 25,000 bridges, the posting also
contains a frequently asked questions section, along with the
sufficiency rating and three condition rating numbers for each
bridge...."
PENNDOT RELEASES SUFFICIENCY, CONDITION RATINGS FOR 25,000
STATE-OWNED BRIDGES 8/27/2007
(Click to read the PennDOT Press Release)
State-owned
structurally deficient bridges Updated
(Click to see this in excel)
Line 2605 on the List of Structurally deficient
brid(g)es Excel spreadsheet shows the bridge near the
Chambersburg Mall, Franklin County, PA:
/COUNTY:
Franklin
/BRIDGE_ID: 28099704200128
/FEATURE CARRIED:
PA 997; SR 0997 /FEATURE INTERSECTED: I-81; SR 0081
/LOCATION/STRUCTURE NAME: 0.25
M S SCOTLAND
This bridge is State Owned; Structurally Deficient (SD);
its Condition Rating relating to the
Substructure*
is 4 = Poor, deterioration of primary structural elements has
advanced; Functionally Obsolete
(FO)
*
Substructure is the part of the bridge that supports the
super-structure such as piers and abutments.
►
Map of structurally deficient bridges in Franklin County
(Click)
►
PennDOT Bridge Inspection Terminology
(Click)
25 thousand bridges on State Routes and their
sufficiency\condition Ratings
(Click for EXCEL Doc) This is a
very large file and downloads best with a high-speed connection.
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Bridge Information
Website
(Click to website)
Scroll down page for links
to more information
Also see C4aQE's ongoing
email conversation (since
September 2006) with Michael Lapano,
Senior Project Manager, PennDOT, Engineering District 8-0,
about delays in reconstructing the bridge on SR 997 over Rt. 81
near the Chambersburg Mall. (Click
to read)
To PennDOT:
Please do not allow the delays in reconstructing this bridge to
continue as they have in the past.
This bridge is of particular importance because of the huge
volume of both commercial heavy truck traffic and general
passenger vehicle traffic using it daily. (Have
you driven
out of the Chambersburg Mall over this bridge around Christmas?)
A failure of this bridge would be a disaster because there is no
quick and easy alternate route for emergency vehicles from one
side of Route 81 to the other.
Bridge near the Chambersburg Mall
"...The Black
Gap Road (Pa. 997) bridge over I-81 at Scotland is among the 41
state bridges in the county that is both structurally deficient
and functionally obsolete....
...Replacing the bridge has been on PennDOT's to-do list for
longer than a decade. Bids are to be opened in October for the
five-lane project estimated to cost $9.6 million....
from
Many local bridges obsolete
by
Jim Hook, Senior writer, Public
Opinion, August 28, 2007
(Click to read)
PennDOT ranks 10 worst county bridges
by
Jim Hook, Senior writer, Public
Opinion, August 28, 2007
(Click to read)
►
Update of
July 11, 2007
via email from Mike Lapano
"The bid
opening for the Route 997 bridge
replacement project
has been postponed
from August to October 2007. Although
it’s late in the season it is possible
that some construction activity can
start in December. However, it’s more
likely that the contractor will start
construction after the winter weather in
early 2008. We still have quite a few
utilities that need to relocate their
facilities, and this can affect our bid
opening date. We also have some
right-of-way issues to address, but
these should be wrapped up by October."
Michael C. Lapano
Senior Project Manager
PennDOT, Engineering District 8-0
2140 Herr St.
Harrisburg, PA 17103
T: 717-787-7482
F: 717-705-5493
e:
mlapano@state.pa.us
►
March 31, 2007
State Route 997 Section
009: PA 997 Bridge over I-81
Greene Township, Franklin County
MPMS # 19346
Project Scope
Replace the existing two lane structure which carries SR 997
over Interstate 81 with a new 5 lane pre-stressed concrete
bridge. Provide two thru lanes in each direction and a center
turn lane. Widen the existing approach roadway to accommodate
the new structure. The structure is being designed so that if a
future sixth lane is needed, the bridge can be modified to
accommodate the lane without extensive structural
rehabilitation. The District is phasing the construction stages
of the project in order to advance the most critical elements of
the work. The new bridge and approach roadways will be
constructed first, the remaining upgrade to SR 997, east of the
structure will be programmed as a separate project and let for
construction at a later date.
Status
The bridge project is in the final design stage. Final
construction plans are being prepared.
Letting anticipated in
summer 2007. Right of Way Plans have been prepared and the
acquisition process is ongoing. Utility coordination efforts are
continuing. Traffic will be maintained during construction.
Construction is expected to be completed in two seasons.
Schedule
Letting: Summer 2007, Begin construction-late summer 2007, Open
to Traffic-late summer 2009.
Michael C. Lapano
Senior Project Manager
PennDOT, Engineering District 8-0
2140 Herr St.
Harrisburg, PA 17103
T: 717-787-7482
F: 717-705-5493
e:
mlapano@state.pa.us
►
September
07, 2006:
The following are
email responses to a request for information
about the planned improvements to the bridge
on Route 997 over Route 81 - next to the
Chambersburg Mall.
Subject: SR 997 Section 009 Bridge
Replacement
The following is a
brief summary of the SR 997 Section 009,
Black Gap Road Bridge Reconstruction
Project.
This project involves
reconstruction of SR 997 at the Interchange
with Interstate 81 in Greene Township
Franklin County. The work involves
replacement of the existing structure with a
new prestressed concrete bridge. The new
structure will carry five lanes, two through
lanes in each direction and a center turn
lane. Full shoulders will also be provided
on the new structure. SR 997 will be widened
to accommodate the new structure and provide
additional capacity. This will include
additional through lanes and dedicated turn
lanes at the intersecting roadways as well
as the entrances to the Chambersburg Mall.
Other major items of work involve updating
the existing signal at the intersection of
SR 997 and SR 696, new signals at the Mall
driveways, and a new signal at the
intersection with the Interstate 81 ramps.
Traffic will be maintained during
construction. However, in some instances
single lane operations may be necessary, but
the duration should be relatively short.
The
project is estimated to start in the spring
of 2007 and will take two construction
seasons to complete. The estimated cost of
construction is 10.0 million dollars.
Michael C. Lapano
Senior Project Manager
PennDOT, Engineering District 8-0
2140 Herr St.
Harrisburg, PA 17103
Also from
Michael
Lapano on
September 11, 2006:
"...the anticipated new structure and
associated roadway improvements were sized
to handle traffic for at least 20 years in
the future. Our analysis took into account
the proposed future development of the Mall
and the surrounding area....
"...the project is scheduled to be bid in
the winter of 2007(Feb/March) so the
contractor can begin in the spring and the
work will take two full construction seasons
to complete. Traffic will be maintained
during construction, however there will be
lane width reductions and some delays.
The scheduled bid date is contingent
on acquiring all the necessary right of way
and coordinating with Utilities that need to
be moved."
Link to PennDOT South Central PA District 8
(includes Franklin County)
website
June 27, 2007 Greene Township, Chambersburg, Franklin
County, PA
"Supervisors have addressed land use issues raised during a fight that prevented
construction of an ethanol plant in the township last year....
...Some of the amendments clarified issues brought to light by the ethanol
controversy, according to supervisors Glenn O. Shetter and Todd Burns.
"Refineries, fuel and hazardous material storage facilities and chemical
manufacturing facilities" are listed as uses that need conditional use approval
from township supervisors....
...The ethanol controversy was good for the township because people were forced
to consider all types of manufacturing that might want to locate here, according
to Frederic Antoun, Chambersburg attorney for Citizens for a Quality
Environment. The amended township ordinance also changes the status
of "large scale manufacturing," a term that the township had interpreted to
include an ethanol plant. Antoun had argued successfully in Franklin County
Court that the ethanol plant should be a conditional use and subject to special
conditions...."
Ethanol fight spurs code change by Jim Hook,
Senior writer, Public Opinion, June, 27, 2007
Ordinance
Amendments are available for review at the Greene Township Municipal Building,
and at the Public Opinion Office, 77 North Third Street, Chambersburg, PA
Greene Township Comprehensive Plan
Info
A "once
every 10 years" opportunity exists right
now. Greene Township residents can
study the Greene Township Comprehensive Plan
Update, Draft Report, July 12, 2006 (based
on the last Adopted version of July 12,
1994).
What is a Comprehensive Plan?
The following description is from the Greene
Township website:
"...A Comprehensive Plan is a guidance
document for a municipality by which future
goals and policies can be determined as well
as corresponding expenditures and regulatory
decisions can be made. A Comprehensive Plan
Can also be a tool by which business and
industry is drawn into a municipality, by
providing a stable base for investment
through structured growth management.
Another integral part of a Comprehensive
Plan is the input of the public and
corresponding government agencies and
private interests.
The Greene Township
Planning Commission is empowered by the MPC
to prepare the Comprehensive Plan at the
request of the Greene Township Board of
Supervisors. It was formed in 1967 with the
purpose of performing this duty."
(Click here to read the entire description
on the Greene Township website)
The process began in June 2005 and public
meetings have been held periodically.
Copies of the resultant
Greene Township
Comprehensive Plan Update, Draft Report,
July 12, 2006
are available free of charge to Greene Township
residents at the Greene
Township Office Building, 1145 Garver Lane,
Scotland, PA.
Comprehensive Plan Update First
Final Draft Report for Greene Township, Franklin County,
Pennsylvania, October 25, 2006
(Click here to review the First Final Draft Comprehensive Plan)
--all documents and maps are in PDF format
►
Much more Greene Township information is
available from the Green Township website
home page
(Click to go to Greene website)
Greene
Township Office Building,
1145 Garver Lane, Scotland, PA, 17254-0215.
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Human intervention
(Interference so as to
modify a process or situation)
into the environment is inevitable.
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