LEWISBURG — The Penn House Commons project in East Buffalo Township has hit another snag as the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation rejected a requested exception from the developer’s engineer to keep shoulder widths for North 15th Street as they are despite not meeting federal highway recommendations.
Howard Schlesinger, principal with Meridian Development Partners, said a meeting is being planned for Meridian, PennDOT and township officials toward the end of October “to discuss this decision and see what alternatives and creative solutions we can come up with, together, on solving this condition.”
At issue are the shoulder widths for North 15th Street in the planned Penn House Commons project. As drawn, they do not meet federal highway recommendations and, therefore, federal money could not be used for them.
Wider shoulders would call for as much as 12 feet more: one 6-foot shoulder and one 4-foot shoulder plus an additional foot in each travel lane.
This was the only exception Meridian requested, Schlesinger said. PennDOT administers the federal grant funding that would be used for this work.
“Insufficient justification” was the reason PennDOT and the Federal Highway Administration said no to the exception, said Ralph Hess, township planning and zoning director, who gave the township supervisors the news Monday.
“That was their words,” Hess said in reference to the two agencies. “There is specific criteria that has to be met,” he said, and PennDOT and others said there wasn’t enough reason to justify an exception.
North 15th Street is classified as an “urban connector street” rather than local road that is used mainly by residents, said James Buck, a township supervisor. Many motorists use 15th Street to travel to and from Routes 192 and 45.
The township supervisors haven’t signed any final contract agreements on the Penn House Commons project, which was proposed four years ago and would convert roughly 42 acres of the former Pennsylvania House land into commercial and residential properties. The supervisors voted within the last month to rezone the property for this purpose.
“We thought we understood the scope of the work” for the project, Buck said, but the exception ruling “essentially just changed that. The ball is back in our court again as far as what we want to do.”
Buck had said in May that if the exception wasn’t granted, the most likely thing to happen would be improvements to 15th Street without using federal funds.
“The decision doesn’t mean 15th Street has to have six-foot shoulders,” Buck said Wednesday. “It means federal highway money can’t be used” for this part of the project.
“We could focus on the intersection with the light, and other parts of 15th Street could be addressed using private funding,” he said.
Township officials do not want to exert eminent domain over the property along 15th Street, acquiring and demolishing homes for the sake of the sidewalks, Buck said.
“I don’t see a need for that,” he said. “No on has asked us to do that. Personally, I don’t see it as necessary.”
News
Meridian project hits another snag
- News
-
-
Driver, boy, 6, hurt in Route 15 crash
LEWISBURG — A 61-year-old Milton woman and a 6-year-old boy were hurt Monday night when their vehicle hit a guide rail and a concrete barrier before overturning on Route 15, state police at Milton said.
-
Sunbury hospital's operating margin among worst in state
SUNBURY — Sunbury Community Hospital’s 2012 operating margin was among the worst in the state, according to a new report examining the fiscal health of the state’s hospitals.
-
Sunbury woman gets 9-23 months in cocaine sales
SUNBURY — A Sunbury woman will report to the Northumberland County Prison on June 3 for a nine- to 23-month stint for her part in a cocaine ring that police said saw her earning $900 a week from sales.
-
Massive tornado roars through Oklahoma City suburb
MOORE, Okla. — A monstrous tornado at least a half-mile wide roared through the Oklahoma City suburbs Monday, flattening entire neighborhoods with winds up to 200 mph, setting buildings on fire and landing a direct blow on an elementary school.
-
Jodi Arias trial wraps for day after series of motions
PHOENIX — Defense attorneys for Jodi Arias asked the judge to remove them from the case and declare a mistrial Monday, arguing the frenzy surrounding the case has created a modern-day witch hunt.
-
U.S. Sen. Casey wants federal probe of fiery tanker crash
HARRISBURG — U.S. Senator Bob Casey wants federal regulators to investigate a fiery tanker crash that caused serious damage at the interchange of Interstate 81 and U.S. Routes 22/322 near Harrisburg.
-
Federal judge weighs fate of governor's lawsuit against NCAA
HARRISBURG — A federal judge in Pennsylvania says she’ll decide in the next couple weeks whether to dismiss Gov. Tom Corbett’s antitrust lawsuit against the NCAA over penalties against Penn State.
-
Today's Top Videos
-
Police Log
A daily roundup of police news from around the region.
-
Second person reported dead following Oklahoma tornado on Sunday
SHAWNEE, Okla. — Oklahoma’s state medical examiner’s office says a second person was killed by a tornado that leveled a central Oklahoma mobile home park.
-
One person killed, four hurt when van and taxi collide in Monroe County
TOBYHANNA — Authorities say a taxi driver was killed and four firefighters were hurt when the cab crashed into a fire police van in northeastern Pennsylvania.
-
Pennsylvania woman charged with texting before fatal crash
NEW CASTLE — A western Pennsylvania woman has been charged with text-messaging while driving in connection with a crash earlier this month that killed a former volunteer fire chief.
-
Danville man seriously injured in Montour County motorcycle crash
DANVILLE - A Danville man is listed in critical condition today at Geisinger Medical Center following a motorcycle accident Sunday afternoon in Montour County.
-
Bucknell University graduates pleased with prospects
LEWISBURG - Ella Bailey was one proud mom Sunday, snapping pictures of her son Davon, a freshly minted Bucknell University graduate, getting him into different poses with his degree.
-
50 learn to be savvy shoppers
SUNBURY — Approximately 50 area residents gathered recently at the Sunbury Social Club to attend a Consumer University sponsored by AARP-Pennsylvania.
-
Scammer: This is not a scam
Residents from Danville to Beavertown are reporting they’ve been receiving “exciting news!” via postcards in their mailboxes.
“We are holding $100 in gift cards for YOU — good at Walmart and Target — your choice!” Just call a toll-free phone number and claim your reward.
-
BBs damage car on Route 15
An incident that began along Route 15 near Allenwood ended Wednesday at the Watsontown borough building, with police arresting one man for numerous charges, after they say he shot a BB gun at another man while threatening him.
-
Penn State report reviews women's status at university
STATE COLLEGE — Women at Penn State either haven't made progress or have lost ground when it comes to being represented in several key areas, including leadership positions and enrollment, according to report from a university commission.
- More News Headlines
-
