CLARION, Pa. (EYT) — Nine bridge projects, six roadway projects, intersection improvements, and seven bike, trail, or park projects in Clarion County are tentative candidates for Northwest Pennsylvania’s Long-Range Transportation Plan.
A public open house to evaluate Northwest Pennsylvania’s Long-Range Transportation Plan for 2015-2040 was held at the Clarion County Administration Building last Wednesday night, but no one from the public attended the review.
Representing Clarion County were Clarion County Commissioners Wayne Brosius and Greg Faller and Twila Rifenberrick, director of the Clarion County Department of Planning and Development. Also attending were one consultant planner from CDM Smith and one PennDOT representative from Indiana.
Every five years the long-range plan is updated and counties have an opportunity to submit “candidate” projects.
“Each county then ranks their projects and then the entire region ranks them together,” said Rifenberrick. “I have submitted some of the projects, and we’re probably going to be adding some projects to the list. The list is likely to change. A final list from the county will likely be submitted in a couple of weeks.”
The first step in getting a transportation project approved in Pennsylvania is inclusion in the long-range plan and that is needed to move forward in the Transportation Improvement Process.
“TIP is reevaluated ever two years,” said Rifenberrick. “A TIP also has to be fiscally constrained so that there is actually money allocated for anything listed on the TIP list.”
Rifenberrick cautions that just because a project ends up on a list, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to start right away.
The Northwest Pennsylvania Rural Planning Organization (RPO) is responsible for the transportation planning process for the five county northwestern Pennsylvania planning region. The RPO is in the process of updating the current long-range transportation plan to 2040.
Planning includes:
• Evaluate the strategies identified in the draft long-range transportation plan.
• Review the region’s available revenue for transportation projects through 2040.
• Review and identify candidate projects to be included in the long-range plan.
Regional Transportation Goal Areas include economic vitality, safety, security, accessibility and mobility, protect/enhance the environment, energy conservation, system integration and connectivity, system management and operation, and system preservation.
The Northwest Planning Commission then works with PennDOT for development of the TIP list.
Additional county reviews were scheduled for Crawford County, Forest County, Venango County, and Warren County
Clarion County’s list of candidate projects that could change, including additions is presented below.
Clarion County Long-Range Transportation Plan Candidate Projects
Local Bridges > 20’
T-561 Over Little Mill Creek – Bridge No. 42 (Clarion Township)
A narrow, one-lane bridge with a wooden deck that cannot support heavy loads. Wide loads do not have access to this road. Also, the guide rails are not substantial. Posted at five tons. On annual inspection cycle due to having a structurally light superstructure with a load posting.
T-564 Over Little Mill Creek – Bridge No. 43 (Clarion Township)
A cement bridge one-lane that is narrow and cannot accommodate heavy loads. It also has insufficient guide rails and cannot accommodate wide loads in its current condition. Posted at three tons.
On an annual inspection cycle due to the capacity of the concrete encased steel I-beam superstructure and load posting.
T-619 Over Toby Creek – Bridge No. 215 (Farmington Township)
Existing bridge is narrow with a 10-ton weight limit. Wing walls and end walls are deteriorating.
Width of the bridge and weight restriction limit traffic flow and logging trucks and other heavy equipment must be rerouted.
On an annual inspection cycle due to the substructure condition.
T-600 Over Licking Creek – Bridge No. 6 (Knox Township)
Bridge Closed. Emergency route for secondary service.
Needs repair to structure and emergency wall repair. Road surface is in poor condition (cracks and potholes). Roadway is washed out in places. Drainage problems are obvious on road and the shoulder is washing away. Bridge is in poor condition; deck is too noisy; can’t accommodate wide loads. Bridge piers are showing age; ride is rough; can’t accommodate tall trucks. Bridge is single lane. There are poles and trees close to the road. The road is too hilly and too many ups and downs.
On annual inspection cycle due to the section loss to the steel I-beams, deck and the condition of the abutments.
T-850 Over Step Creek – Bridge No. 8312 (Knox Township)
Road surface is in poor condition (cracks and potholes) and the roadway is washed out in places. Drainage problems are obvious on road and the shoulder is washing away. Bridge can’t accommodate wide loads. Bridge piers are showing age.
Bridge is posted and/or closed. Road condition and turning movement restrictions hinder freight traffic.
Posted at 18 tons except combinations of 24 tons.
T-852 Over Toby Creek – Bridge No. 8181 (Knox Township)
Severe Channel Sedimentation and Aggregation. Road surface is in poor condition (cracks and potholes) and roadway is washed out in places. Drainage problems are obvious on road, road shoulder is washing away. Bridge is in poor condition, deck is too noisy and it can’t accommodate wide loads. Bridge piers are showing age. Bridge ride is rough and it can’t accommodate tall trucks.
Bridge is posted and/or closed. New development has meant more traffic. The road condition, turning movement restrictions and lack of clearance for wide and/or high load hinders freight movement. Posted at 16 tons except combinations of 29 tons.
T-382 Over Toby Creek – Bridges 212 and 213 (Richland Township)
Road surface is in poor condition (cracks and potholes) and roadway is washed out in places. Drainage problems are obvious on road, road shoulder is washing away. The road is too hilly and too many ups and downs. People drive too fast around the curves.
T-310 Over Richey Run – Bridge No. 214 (Richland Township)
Road surface is in poor condition (cracks and potholes) and roadway is washed out in places. Drainage problems are obvious on road, road shoulder is washing away. The road is too hilly and too many ups and downs. People drive too fast around the curves.
Madison Street Over Little Licking Creek – Bridge No. 203 (Sligo Borough)
Road surface is in poor condition (cracks); Guiderail improvements needed. Scour hole at far abutment and cleaning, painting and debris removal needed. Posted at 10 tons except combinations of 19 tons.
On annual inspection cycle due to the section loss on the steel I-beams.
Roadway Projects
SR 0068 Congestion Improvements from US 0322 to Interstate 80 (Clarion Borough, Clarion Township and Monroe Township)
This section of SR68 is likely the most heavily traveled portion of the roadway between Clarion and Butler.
With the number of businesses and intersections located along this section creating a highly congested traffic situation, it is increasingly difficult to gain access to the roadway from side streets and to make left turns. In addition, the Trinity Point Business/Industrial Park recently established just to the west of the I-80/SR68 intersection is expected to bring thousands of jobs to the area which will only exacerbate the congestion and safety concerns associated with this section of road.
Second Avenue Relief Route to Exit 62 of I-80 (Clarion Borough, Clarion Township and Monroe Township)
No alternative route currently exists between the Borough of Clarion and points south into Monroe Township.
The addition of a relief route from Second Avenue would not only give direct access to Hospital Road for emergency service providers but also to the traveling public. In the event that an emergency should occur on SR 0068, the only current emergency route is by Exit 60 (Shippenville) or Exit 64 (New Bethlehem) off I-80.
SR 0068 – Drainage Improvements (East Brady Borough)
An old culvert that crosses under Route 68 is showing signs of failure. This culvert drains approximately 121 acres and uses 2 buildings’ foundations as sidewalls. Discharge headwall is constructed of old railroad ties and travels directly under a home.
This area flooded twice in recent rain events and sends water flooding across the State highway as well as washing out the borough street closest to the River (Water Street). This is directly in the heart of the business district.
SR 0068 – Sligo East to Huckleberry Ridge Road – Sight Distance, Drainage and Driveway Encroachments (Sligo Borough and Piney Township)
A narrow roadway with poor sight distance, drainage and intersection/driveway encroachments between Sligo Borough to the Huckleberry Ridge Road contributes to hazardous traveling conditions through this section of Route 68.
SR 0068 – East Brady Climbing Lane (East Brady Borough and Brady Township)
This sharply graded hill is a detriment to smooth and efficient movement of vehicles traveling east on this portion of this highway. With no passing allowed, slow moving vehicles contribute to traffic congestion and inefficient traffic flow.
SR 0068 – Reidsburg Bridge (Monroe Township)
Upon crossing a bridge through this section going west on SR68, a sharp turn curves to the left and ascends up a slight hill where an intersection is located. Unsafe road design and poor sight distance makes this a particularly hazardous portion of SR 68. This site along SR 68 has been the scene of many tractor-trailer accidents due to the inability of these heavy vehicles to negotiate this stretch of the highway.
Intersection Improvements
SR 0068 – Shannon Tipple Intersection (Piney Township)
A hidden intersection wedged between two hilly “knobs” along Route 68 makes this a particularly dangerous portion of the roadway. Traffic moving both east and west along SR68 has a very difficult time negotiating a quick stop as they ascend over a hill to be confronted with vehicles accessing SR68 at the Shannon Tipple Intersection. Due to the dangerous nature of this portion of SR68, Union School District no longer routes its school buses onto SR 68 at this intersection.
Intersection Signalization Improvements
SR 0058 – Allegheny-Clarion Valley School District (Richland Township)
The School District is very concerned the danger to students during arrival and dismissal hours.
SR 0058 – Sligo Elementary School (Sligo Borough)
Outdated existing conventional school speed limit beacons. Replace with solar powered systems that would save the taxpayers’ dollars and energy.
SR 0058 – Colerain Street and Madison Street (Sligo Borough)
Traffic signals outdated and aged. Replacement parts nearly impossible to find. Lights are mounted too low.
Bicycle/Pedestrian
Rail 66
Redbank Valley Trail
North Country Trail
Clarion Highlands Trail
Allegheny River Trail
Sligo Spur Trail
Clarion County River Park (Proposed) US 0322 at Ebenezer Spring.
