Twp. Battles PennDot Over Postponed ’01 Work
By: Lisa Mickles
Pike County Dispatch – Thursday, May 1, 2014
DINGMANS FERRY – Delaware Township supervisors are playing hardball with PennDOT after it was announced that the Route 2001 road construction project would be put on hold with no further repairs scheduled to fix the eroding state road.
At last Wednesday’s meeting, Chairman Tom Ryan said they would take an aggressive approach since the township has documented the deficiencies of the road through photographs.
“The road won’t last through the spring and has become dangerous and is putting our residents in harm’s way,” said Ryan.
This is in relation to the three phase re-alignment and widening of Route 2001 from Bushkill through Lehman Township ending at Route 739 in Delaware Township. The first phase, which started five years ago, was completed last year but because acid rock was found, which if disturbed could become hazardous material, the remaining two phases have been put on hold, indefinitely.
Money for the project was already approved but will now be reallocated to fix Route 402, which has also become damaged, mostly due to the winter and heavy truck traffic using the road for the PP&L transmission line upgrade.
“You can’t de-fund us and then ignore us,” said Ryan.
He said that there was a meeting set up to discuss the issues with PennDOT’s Pike County Maintenance Manager Ken Thiele, but Ryan said he would prefer to go higher up so that the issue gets addressed right away.
PennDOT has released a schedule for pothole repairs for Route 2001, but Ryan says that would not be enough. He says that culvert pipes need to be repaired, shoulders should be cut back and the road needs to be repaved since it could be decades before PennDOT works out the acid rock situation.
Ryan directed Township Solicitor Tom Farley to send a letter out to District 4 Manager George Roberts to schedule a meeting. In addition, the township has forwarded to state Rep. Rosemary Brown a copy of the documented road deficiencies for the 10-mile stretch of Route 2001 from the Lehman Township line to Route 739.
Ryan said that they have documented proof that anyone from the township can access showing that PennDOT has been informed of the situation, which could make PennDOT liable for any lawsuits against them.
IN OTHER BUSINESS
The board approved the quote from Tree Tech in the amount of $440 for tree removal for a secondary access road and $1,800 for tree removal for Akenac Park’s new septic system.
Kathleen Minto was hired as head lifeguard at $10 per hour, Jessica Kevenson, Megan Buckle, Paul Murphy as lifeguards at $9 per hour, Widad Munera at $9.50 per hour and Stephanie Marcucci at $9.25 per hour.
The board appointed Bob Byrne to the Delaware Township Zoning Hearing Board.
The Supervisors approved Dingman Delaware Little League to use the township parking lot and the Delaware Township Volunteer Fire Department for their annual opening day parade scheduled for Saturday, April 26 from 7:30 to 9 a.m. which began at 8 a.m. and traveled on Wilson Hill Road to Ball Park Road.
The board approved Warrior Wrestling to operate the concession stand at the June 21 and August 23 movie nights at Akenac Park, Girl Scouts to use Akenac Park for a bridging ceremony on May 1, and approval for a Girl Scout sing-a-long on May 16 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. with raid date of May 17.
The supervisors approved Kenworth’s Dump Truck proposal at a cost of $141,546 through the liquid fuels account for a five year lease purchase agreement for annual payment of $31,000.
The next Board of Supervisors meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 14 at 6 p.m. at the municipal building located off Wilson Hill Road.