Two townships received

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1 34 TH ANNUAL ROAD AND BRIDGE SAFETY IMPROVEMENT AWARDS Townships Are Recognized for Projects That Make Roads and Bridges Safer Six townships were recognized during PSATS 94 th Annual Educational Conference for transportation projects that improved safety in their communities. Two of the municipalities received top honors, and the others achieved runner-up or honorable mention status in the 34 th Annual Road and Bridge Safety Improvement Contest. RECIPIENTS Roadway Category Winner: Cranberry Township, Butler County Runner-up: West Brunswick Township, Schuylkill County Honorable mention: Upper Fairfield Township, Lycoming County Bridge Category Winner: South Park Township, Allegheny County Co-runner-up: North Hopewell Township, York County Co-runner-up: Sullivan Township, Tioga County BY BRENDA WILT / ASSISTANT EDITOR Two townships received top honors in the 34 th Annual Road and Bridge Safety Improvement presented during PSATS 94 th Annual Educational Conference in Hershey. Road and bridge projects were recognized in separate categories, and the winning activities included bridge replacements, intersection improvements, and road reconstruction. The Pennsylvania Highway Information Association (PHIA) and the state Department of Transportation (PennDOT) partner with PSATS each year to present the awards. Professional engineers and safety consultants from PennDOT, highway construction and design representatives, and PHIA staff judge the entries according to four criteria: safety, resource innovation, benefits to the community, and cooperation. This year, we had a tremendous number of entries, PHIA Managing Director Jason Wagner told township officials during the award presentation. We sincerely appreciate the work that you do to help your communities when it comes to enhancing the safety of your infrastructure. PennDOT Deputy Secretary for 64 PA TownshipNews JUNE 2016

2 Planning James Ritzman also applauded the large number of entries and what they represent. The good thing about having many entries means there is a lot of good activity going on, so hopefully we ll see some huge improvements in our communities because of your good work. We needed to find the right fit Cranberry Township undertook its winning road reconstruction project to address a dangerous intersection that a 2013 study had identified as a critical safety concern. Sixteen reportable crashes had occurred at the site from 2008 to 2012, mostly from drivers going too fast in wet conditions and colliding with fixed objects or opposing traffic. We were seeing a high accident rate on the road, Cranberry Township Director of Engineering Jason Kratsas says. Drivers built up speed coming down a hill and then entered a curve that had a sharp kink in it. Their speed made it hard to stay in their lane or even on the roadway. Short-term solutions, such as additional signage, delineators on the guide rail, and reflective tape on utility poles, failed to help. In fact, another 16 crashes occurred in 2014 alone. The township contracted with Herbert, Rowland and Grubic, Inc. to design a solution that would improve safety and address a drainage problem on the road. We worked pretty long with HRG to find the right design, Kratsas says. We needed to find the right fit that could be done quickly and efficiently to solve the problem. The resulting project involved realigning the curve and reconstructing the intersection, storm sewer connections, and sidewalk connections. The township public works crew widened about 750 linear feet of the road and installed new catch basins and an underdrain to manage stormwater. The entire project area also received a pavement overlay, and upgraded pavement markings were installed at the intersection. Kratsas points to the cooperation with a nearby homeowners association as one of the most positive aspects of the project. The HOA acted as a partner throughout the project, he says, and Roadway Winner: Cranberry Township, Butler County PennDOT Deputy Secretary for Planning James Ritzman, third from right, presents the 34 th Annual Road and Bridge Safety Improvement Award to Kelly Maurer, project engineer for Cranberry Township, Butler County. The township received top honors in the roadway category for a road reconstruction project (below). Participating in the presentation are, from left, PSATS First Vice President Shirl Barnhart, PHIA Managing Director Jason Wagner, Cranberry Township chairman Dick Hadley, Maurer, project designer Jeff Mikesic of Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc., Springfield Manor Homeowners Association president Steve Nalepa, and Cranberry Township manager of streets and properties Bob Howland. is thrilled with the result because safety has increased tenfold. Receiving the statewide Road and Bridge Safety Improvement Award means a lot to the township, Kratsas says, especially since this project involved a lot of cooperation. There were many different parties that came together to make it happen, he says. We are pretty proud of the award. The visibility was absolutely terrible West Brunswick Township undertook its runner-up project to address a sight distance problem at a busy intersection, which had been a safety issue for years. The visibility was absolutely terrible, township secretary Peggy Pritchard says. Many people avoided the area, and the township received many complaints about the intersection. Compounding the issue was the fact that two schools are located within a half mile of the intersection, which generated more traffic. Township supervisor and roadmaster Todd Shappell knew something needed to be done. With years of experience running heavy equipment under his belt, Shappell was confident that the road crew could tackle the problem. JUNE 2016 PA TownshipNews 65

3 Roadway Runner-up: West Brunswick Township, Schuylkill County Taking advantage of an intermunicipal agreement that the township has with neighboring South Manheim and Wayne townships, Shappell assembled a crew of eight men and the necessary equipment to cut back the sight-obscuring bank at the intersection. The crew completed the project over four days. An agreement with the homeowners at the site allowed the removed dirt to be piled on their properties for their use, saving the township the cost of hauling it away. As a result of the project, drivers at this intersection can now see about 300 feet in each direction, rather than the previous 50 feet before the improvement. Residents and merchants near the intersection are very pleased with the safer conditions, Pritchard says. I have to give credit to the roadmaster, she says. His experience enabled him to pull everything together to get the job done. Pritchard also praises the intermunicipal agreement that the township has with its neighbors and the great working relationship the township s road crew has with those of the other municipalities. With three townships working together, it s fantastic what we can get done, she says. We are very proud of what we accomplished with this project and are honored to be given this statewide award. A good, solid job Upper Fairfield Township tackled its honorable mention project to address an undersized culvert and unstable embankment that was causing severe streambank erosion, localized flooding, and water overtopping the road above. The collapsing bank was causing the road surface to crack and slump toward the creek, risking a total collapse of the roadway. PHIA Managing Director Jason Wagner, second from left, presents the roadway runner-up award in the 34 th Annual Road and Bridge Safety Improvement Contest to West Brunswick Township, Schuylkill County. The township received recognition for an intersection sight distance improvement project (below). Participating in the presentation are, from left, PSATS First Vice President Shirl Barnhart, Wagner, West Brunswick Township supervisor and roadmaster Todd Shappell and road crew member Ned Noecker, and PennDOT Deputy Secretary for Planning James Ritzman. The creek had been eating away at the culvert for a long time, township supervisor Luther Lunt says. The banks were sliding down toward the water. The affected route is one of the main roads in the township and is the primary route for the local fire service. Truck traffic from a nearby natural gas well pad also uses the road. The township knew the situation needed to be corrected quickly so it bundled the road and culvert work into one project and used Act 13 natural gas impact fee funds to finance the work by Bassett Engineering. The project involved the replacement of the existing pipe arch culvert with a larger aluminum box culvert and precast concrete wing walls and stabilizing the embankment with stone. The road was reconstructed with a deep subbase and pavement, and a new cross pipe was installed to redirect runoff. New guide rail was also installed to protect traffic from the steep streambanks and bridge ends. It s a good, solid job, Lunt says. The new road and culvert should hold up well for a long time. Government at its best South Park Township s winning project focused on replacing a crumbling bridge. Annual inspections of the 46-year-old, two-lane structure revealed that it had been deteriorating for about 15 years. PennDOT kept reducing the allowable weight and eventually limited the bridge to one lane, township manager 66 PA TownshipNews JUNE 2016

4 Roadway Honorable Mention: Upper Fairfield Township, Lycoming County PHIA Managing Director Jason Wagner, second from left, presents the roadway honorable mention award in the 34 th Annual Road and Bridge Safety Improvement Contest to Upper Fairfield Township in Lycoming County. The township received the honor for replacing a failing culvert (below). Participating in the presentation are, from left, PSATS First Vice President Shirl Barnhart, Wagner, Britt Bassett and Bill Scott from Bassett Engineering, who accepted the award on the township s behalf, and PennDOT Deputy Secretary for Planning James Ritzman. Karen Fosbaugh says. At the time that we replaced it, it had a three-ton weight limit and was facing possible closure within a year. The road containing the bridge not only connects South Park Township with adjacent Jefferson Hills Borough but also serves as an access route for more than 1,000 employees of a federal research facility in the township. Due to the bridge s posted weight limit, fire and emergency vehicles and even township snow plows could not use it, making it difficult for them to provide essential services to township residents. Because the bridge is shared equally by the township and adjacent Jefferson Hills Borough, the township supervisors approached borough officials in 2013 about a joint project to replace the bridge. They approved a memorandum of understanding to pool their resources to fund the project the following year. Construction began in September 2014 and was completed in May The new bridge consists of four composite, prestressed spread box beams and a concrete deck. The structure was widened slightly to accommodate trucks. The project also involved reconstructing the cheek walls, installing new guide rail, repaving the approaches, realigning a drainage ditch, and installing new signage. We are quite pleased with the result, Fosbaugh says. The residents are happy, and the fire and ambulance companies are very pleased that they don t have to take longer routes to respond to emergencies. JUNE 2016 PA TownshipNews 67

5 This is an example of government at its best, working together for the good of the people. Fosbaugh is quick to emphasize that the township could not have done this project alone. The agreement with Jefferson Hills Borough enabled both municipalities to get a new bridge without busting either one s budget. A $100,000 grant from the Allegheny County Community Infrastructure and Tourism Fund was split equally to help offset each community s share of the costs. We worked as a team to bring this project to fruition, Fosbaugh says. This is an example of government at its best, working together for the good of the people. Cut expense but not quality North Hopewell Township decided to replace a single-lane bridge after it was severely damaged during a storm in June The county bridge engineer determined that the structure was compromised to the point of failure, and township engineer Jason Snyder closed that bridge and two others that had also been damaged. The bridge closure limited access to the county s Spring Valley Park and also affected the local fire company s ability to provide emergency services to the park and nearby residents. While the township pursued grants, the structure suffered further damage. One of the wing walls collapsed completely and tree roots protruded through the resulting void, the western abutment was cracked horizontally above the water line, and the stream was flowing on both sides of the abutment. The township focused its attention on the critical bridge and with the guidance of township engineer Jason Snyder, decided to use the alternative bridge construction technique known as the geosynthetic reinforced soilintegrative bridge system, or GRS-IBS. This method uses alternating layers of compacted granular fill and sheets of geotextile fabric to provide support for the bridge, rather than poured concrete foundations. It can be done faster with municipal equipment and manpower and for a fraction of the cost of a conventional bridge. Bridge Winner: South Park Township, Allegheny County PennDOT Deputy Secretary for Planning James Ritzman, second from left, presents the first place bridge award in the 34th Annual Road and Bridge Safety Improvement to South Park Township, Allegheny County chairman Dave Buchewicz. The township received the honor for a bridge replacement project. Also participating in the presentation are, from left, PHIA Managing Director Jason Wagner, far left, and PSATS First Vice President Shirl Barnhart, far right. 68 PA TownshipNews JUNE 2016

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7 We try to use the limited resources we have the best way we can. We liked the lower cost factor and being able to use our own manpower and equipment, North Hopewell Township chairman Dusty Grove says. The township had already installed a GRS bridge on another road. Once you learn the tricks of how to do it, it goes pretty fast. The shorter construction period was especially welcome to township residents, he says. Although the road is not a high-traffic route, a lot of people use it as a shortcut to get to Interstate 83. The township officials and road crew like the GRS-IBS technique so much that they plan to use it to replace two more bridges if and when the township can secure grants to help offset the costs. Our goal is to cut expense but not quality, Grove says. We try to use the limited resources we have the best way we can. A bad, bad bridge Sullivan Township replaced a onelane, 1930s-era concrete bridge because it was failing due to repeated flooding. The inadequate clearance under the bridge led to debris getting caught and the creek backing up, undermining the concrete. Shell Appalachia had upgraded parts of the road in 2014 to accommodate its trucks used for Marcellus Shale natural gas development. The bridge was a concern for the heavy trucks, and an inspection revealed severe damage to the underside. In addition to the unstable structure, Shell s engineer also cited concerns about the narrow width of the bridge and the lack of guide rail on the approaches. It was just a bad, bad bridge, Sullivan Township chairman Bernie Cole says. The waterway was always backing up, and the concrete was cracking. Shell offered $125,000 to replace the bridge and provided a highway consultant, Jason Snyder of North Hopewell Township, York County, who proposed using the GRS-IBS method. Over the course of a few weeks, Snyder guided four Sullivan Township public works employees, two North Hopewell employees, and two civil engineering interns from Lafayette College in completing the structure. 70 PA TownshipNews JUNE 2016

8 Bridge Co-runner-up: North Hopewell Township, York County PHIA Managing Director Jason Wagner, second from left, presents a bridge runner-up award in the 34 th Annual Road and Bridge Safety Improvement Contest to North Hopewell Township, York County, chairman Dusty Grove, center. The township received the honor for replacing a deteriorating bridge using the geosynthetic reinforced soil-integrated bridge system, or GRS-IBS, construction method (right). Participating in the presentation are, from left, PSATS First Vice President Shirl Barnhart, Wagner, Grove, North Hopewell Township engineer Jason Snyder, and PennDOT Deputy Secretary for Planning James Ritzman. Bridge Co-runner-up: Sullivan Township, Tioga County Sullivan Township, Tioga County, representatives accept a bridge runner-up award in the 34 th Annual Road and Bridge Safety Improvement Contest from PHIA Managing Director Jason Wagner, second from left. The township was honored for replacing an old bridge with a GRS-IBS structure( right). Also present are, from left, PSATS First Vice President Shirl Barnhart, Wagner, Shane Winner of Shell Appalachia, Sullivan Township secretary Nancy Smith and supervisor Tom Robbins, project engineer Jason Snyder, Luke Snyder of Shell Appalachia, and PennDOT Deputy Secretary for Planning James Ritzman. JUNE 2016 PA TownshipNews 71

9 The new bridge is a two-lane, 80-ton-capacity structure that will easily accommodate Shell s drilling traffic, Cole says. It s a very nice bridge, and it works beautifully, he says. I spent so much time working on it, I feel like I could build one myself. Cole says that receiving this award shows that the township is taking care of its roads and its residents. The new bridge is an asset to the people of Sullivan Township, he says. I have heard nothing but compliments on it. People are thrilled that it is no longer a one-lane turkey path. I think we did a great job on it. F Think about entering your projects in this year s contest As your township undertakes road and bridge projects this summer and fall, consider entering them in the 35 th Annual Road and Bridge Safety Improvement Contest. Document your work and take before and after photos. Brochures for the 2016 contest will be mailed to member townships and members of the Township Engineers Association in December or January. The deadline is typically in early March. For more information, contact Brenda Wilt at PSATS at (717) , ext. 123, or bwilt@psats.org. Townships may also go to select the Programs and Services tab, and choose PSATS Award Programs. 72 PA TownshipNews JUNE 2016