County receives grant for traffic study
WAYNESBURG – Greene County Commissioners approved an agreement Thursday with the Appalachia Regional Commission for grant money to conduct a traffic study on roads adjacent to the Mt. Morris interchange of Interstate 79.
The county and Perry Township were considering improvements to the roads near the interchange for several years, said Robbie Matesic, executive director of the county’s Department of Economic Development.
“We recognized a few years ago that the local road system around the interchange might not be able to handle any additional traffic from development,” Matesic said.
Over the years, interest was expressed by developers in property surrounding the interchange. Investments also were made in the past to provide the infrastructure needed to support development, particularly in regard to public water, she said.
An initial traffic study was conducted of roads on the eastern side of the interstate that looked at possible re-alignments of driveways and roads and the installation of traffic signals.
The study that will be funded by the ARC grant will be much more comprehensive and will possibly prepare the way for the creation of a “transportation partnership district,” Matesic said.
The transportation partnership district would provide the means to create a fund that developers would contribute to that would be used to build and maintain the local road system, she said.
The traffic study is expected to cost about $120,000. The ARC grant will provide $60,000 and the remainder will be funded by the county and Perry Township. The township will hire a firm to complete the traffic study.
In other business, the commissioner awarded a contract for the construction of two manure stacking structures at the Greene County Fairgrounds to Lone Pine Construction, the only bidder, for $95,737.
The structures, which will be built at the rear of the fairgrounds, will have concrete floors and roofs and will be used to store manure until it is hauled away by people who want it for fertilizer. Greene County Conservation District will cover all but $10,000 of the costs.
Commissioner Archie Trader said the structures will give local farmers an idea of what they might have to do for manure storage. Farmers are now required to have a plan in place to handle manure, he said.
The commissioners also awarded a contract for the purchase of a horizontal baler with conveyor for the recycling program, pending approval of the solicitor, controller, Greene Arc and state Department of Environmental Protection.
The county solicited for bids for three pieces of recycling equipment, the baler, a can crusher and a skid steer, but receive only one bid and that for the baler. The contract was awarded to Besa Co. of Gwynedd.
The cost of the baler and conveyor is $79,480. It will be purchased with a DEP grant.
The commissioners also approved an agreement with the state Department of Transportation for additional funds to replace the Burson Bridge in Morgan Township.
The bridge is owned by the county but being replaced by the state. Work is expected to start in February and be completed in November.
A representative from Wal-Mart, a sponsor of the 2014 Heroes Run/Walk, attended the meeting and presented the families of two Greene County servicemen killed in Iraq with a check for $2,500.
The donation, along with all other sponsorships and race proceeds, will benefit memorial funds established in the men’s honor. Both Army Spc. Gregory Cox of Carmichaels and Marine Lance Cpl. Steven Phillips of Spraggs were killed in Humvee accidents in Iraq.
The commissioners also recognized Miss Pennsylvania Preteen Joelle Pahanish, 12, of Jefferson, who was recently selected to represent the state at the 2014 National Miss American Preteen competition in November in Orlando, Fla.