The dates are still tentative but traveling through parts of southern Lancaster County will be problematic for three weeks, beginning approximately Aug. 17, when a $1,929,400 federal economic recovery project gets underway.
The railroad bridge over Route 372 at the east end of Quarryville, a main east-west route through southern Lancaster County, will undergo wall repairs by Buckley and Company, Inc. of Philadelphia. The firm was awarded the contract for 11 bridge parapet (wall) repair projects in Adams, Cumberland, Franklin, Lancaster and York counties.
The project is one of four bridges in Lancaster County to be repaired with federal funds from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA), according to Greg Penney, PennDOT spokesman.
Also to be repaired are the Amtrak bridge at Route 741 in Salisbury Township, the Route 772 bridge over Cocalico Creek in Warwick Township, and the River Road bridge over the Conestoga River between Manor and Conestoga townships.
Penney said traffic in and out of Quarryville will be detoured, but as of Tuesday afternoon the detour route had not been approved.
According to Penney, PennDOT has awarded 22 different contracts under the ARRA since April, and the Quarryville bridge is one of the first in the state to be repaired with the federal recovery funds.
Road repair issues were again a hot topic during Quarryville Borough Council’s Aug. 3 meeting.
Council members and Rep. Bryan Cutler met last month and discussed local concerns about the speed of traffic entering Quarryville Borough on Route 222, congestion at the traffic light in the borough, and the increased volume of traffic since the demolition of the tunnel at routes 222 and 372.
Borough manager Al Drayovitch, Jr. said Monday night PennDOT is completing an engineering and traffic review in the borough. Council members said they plan to let PennDOT complete their review.
After that, according to Jessica Keffer, chief of staff for Cutler, a formal request for PennDOT to make repairs or changes will have to come from the municipality.
The controversial Fifth Street improvement and sidewalk project is finished, but council members learned they have some unfinished business with Jane Huntoon of 267 W. Fifth St.
According to a letter from attorney James Thomas, the project left a 7-9-inch change in the elevation between Huntoon’s sidewalk and driveway, leaving it unusable. Thomas said Borough Code permits a borough to pay for all or part of grading and curbing for a sidewalk project, and the repair to Huntoon’s driveway will cost approximately $3,500.
Council member Dave Aument said one of the reasons the borough requires sidewalks to be put in at the expense of property owners at the time of a major street reconstruction project is to avoid such problems.
“Maybe there are some things not correct,” said council president Robert Landis, Jr.
“I think it’s a legitimate concern,” said Durwin Parks.
Landis suggested council members speak to an engineer from Aro during its next work session and bring the request for restitution up for a vote at the September council meeting.
In police department matters, Mayor Jerry McCarrell of the police committee said the department answered 14 animal complaints, nine noise complaints, issued eight citations for underage drinking, and made one DUI arrest.
Finally, council approved: a six-month extension for Southern End Self Storage to finish its project, and use of the Quarryville Fire Police for the Aug. 23 Cruisin’ for Corbin cancer benefit motorcycle ride through the borough.