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PennDOT plans for 2015 addressed

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WAYNESBURG – Maintenance and repair will be the primary focuses of PennDOT’s District 12 in Greene County for the remainder of 2015, based upon data presented Thursday at its annual Greene County outreach program.

As always, funding drives the prioritizing of projects for the department, said Joseph Szczur, District 12 executive director. Szczur credited Act 89, the state transportation bill from 2013 for providing a “better outlook,” for PennDOT but said it is “still not what we need.”

“A ton of salt is almost equal to what we pay for a ton of asphalt,” Szcur cited as an example. “It is a sign of the times.”

Szczur expressed concern over the unsettled issue of the Highway Trust Fund that provides transportation dollars through a tax on gasoline and diesel fuel. It is estimated the fund will be insolvent by May if the federal government does not act on its funding.

Under its current budget, District 12 will focus on road slides, potholes, and bridge maintenance. The Bailey’s Crossroads reconfiguration is its largest new project for 2015.

The crossroads project will create a continuous flow for traffic traveling on Route 21, rather than the current stop-and-go setup for those driving north. It is expected to go to bid in June with construction slated for an early August start. The estimated completion date is November.

A large unanticipated expense to Greene County in District 12 occurred when a portion of Interstate 79 south between Waynesburg and Kirby began to slide away.

Jerry Simkovic, Greene County Maintenance Manager for District 12, said the subsidence in this area of the interstate was not created by work being performed in the general vicinity.

Simkovic said the road was built in the late 1960s and early 1970s when rock removed during construction was crushed and re-used as a base material. This rock has a tendency to crumble and that is what occurred in this instance, Simkovic said.

Simkovic said other road slides throughout Greene County were also an issue in recent months. There are currently two roads with lane restrictions for slides. One of those roads is Bristoria Road, which, because of the degree of deterioration, “could go closed at anytime,” Simkovic said.

It was noted that PennDOT was able to work with drilling companies to repair some of the slides in areas where there was heavy truck traffic.

In at least one instance, a bond was pulled for a road that sustained substantial slide damages.

Butch Deter, chairman of the Center Township supervisors, said the township applauded PennDOT for pulling the bond on Oak Forest Road.

“We wish you would do it on more roads. Bristoria Road is terrible up there,” Deter said.

The ongoing Morrisville construction project will continue to effect traffic along Route 21 near Sugar Run Road well into the future with additional phases being added as funding permits.

The nearly $1.6 million replacement of the Burson Bridge over Ten Mile Creek should be completed by late September.

For those who utilize the Masontown bridge, located between Greene and Fayette counties, work there is anticipated to be done in October on the $49.6 million bridge replacement.

“The Masontown Bridge is one of the most innovative projects I have dealt with,” said Bill Kovach, assistant district executive for construction.

Szczur said safety, quality and innovation go hand-in-hand at PennDOT.

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