TownshipNews. Road Concerns. this month. From Money to Water to Traffic, Townships Have Their Hands Full. MAY 2008 Vol. 61, No.

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1 IN THIS ISSUE: IS YOUR Learn How Proper Drainage Can Protect Your Waterways ARE YOUR Find Out What the New Rules Have to Say About This NEED MONEY FOR YOUR AND Check Out the Pa. Infrastructure Bank

2 this month Road Concerns From Money to Water to Traffic, Townships Have Their Hands Full It s hard to believe it s that time of year again when townships kick their road maintenance and construction season into high gear. It s one of the things townships do best and do a lot of. Only problem is, there are more road woes than there is money to deal with them more demands than you have staff to handle them and more expectations from residents and commuters alike than you probably have the budget or patience for. Still, you persevere and get the job done because you know you have to. Townships are responsive and accountable to their residents moreso than any other level of government. If a road is deteriorating in front of someone s house, you ll hear about it. You may not be able to put that road at the top of the list, but you sure will put it on the list and tell the resident you are aware of the problem and will get to it as money allows. The list of road-related headaches and worries is a long one, we know, but there are some cures for all of these. In this month s issue, we look at the five top road headaches and offer up some solutions from township roadmasters and other experts who know roads. Of course, your priorities are to keep your roads in good shape, stay within budget, keep traffic moving, and yes, make your residents happy. It s a tough job, but you can at least strive to attain a good balance of all of these with some helpful advice, planning, and preventive maintenance. Also in this issue, we bring you up to date on sign visibility requirements, explain what you can do about drainage issues, and lead you to some funding sources for your roads. And on a related topic, guest columnist Scott Brown, P.E., of Pennoni Associates addresses the Catch-22 of the state s updated stormwater management policies. These guidelines and regulations, he says, may actually contribute to urban sprawl by causing loss of farmland and open space. One final note: I hope to see many of you at the upcoming PSATS conference in Hershey May If you have any suggestions for the magazine, please tell me while you re there. And if you ve been a supervisor for 24 years or more, don t forget to stop by our Supervisor Hall of Fame booth to get your photo taken for an upcoming issue of the Township News. ginni linn editor MAY 2008 Vol. 61, No. 5/ ISSN TownshipNews Pennsylvania harrisburg 2007 capital award gold four-color magazines PUBLISHING DIRECTOR R. Keith Hite EDITOR Ginni Linn ASSISTANT EDITORS Jill M. Ercolino Jennifer L. Hawbaker ASSOCIATE EDITOR Brenda Wilt CONTRIBUTING DESIGNER Print Solutions and Design Agency, LLC CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Carl Socolow Published monthly by: Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors 4855 Woodland Drive Enola, PA Telephone: (717) Fax: (717) Internet: Periodical postage paid at Enola, PA, and other mailing offices. The annual subscription rate is $34. Individual copies of the magazine cost $5 each, which includes postage. Statements of facts and opinions expressed in this magazine by authors other than Association staff and officers are the responsibility of the authors only and do not necessarily represent those of the officers, members, and staff of the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors. PSATS does not test or screen the products and services advertised in this magazine. No endorsement by PSATS of advertised products or services is expressed or implied, except those products and services directly supplied by PSATS or its affiliated organizations. Copyright 2008 by the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors. PSATS member townships may reproduce any noncommercial part of this publication upon receipt of verbal permission from the editor. All others must receive written permission from the editor prior to reproduction of any part of this publication. Postmaster, send all address changes to: Pennsylvania Township News 4855 Woodland Drive Enola, PA DECEMBER 2007 PA TownshipNews 3 MAY DECEMBER 2008 PA 2007 TownshipNews PA TownshipNews 3 3

3 oads Cures for the Common Road Experts Offer Advice on Five Nagging Problems 8 PA TownshipNews MAY 2008

4 Updating Your Traffic Signs...26 Deadlines Set for New Visibility Rules Got Water?...34 Get Rid of It with These Suggestions Money for the Asking...48 Infrastructure Bank. Has Money to Loan Townships for Roads MAY 2008 PA TownshipNews 9

5 Road Headaches Oh, My Aching Road! Five Common Road Headaches and How Your Township Can Cure Them Whether you have paved or unpaved roads, a big transportation budget or a small one, one thing is certain: You ve got your share of headaches. So how do you stretch your dollars, keep residents happy, and deal with damage that is beyond your township s control? Well, the News recently talked to several seasoned roadmasters and other experts, who gave us the answers to these questions and many more. BY JILL ERCOLINO / ASSISTANT EDITOR 10 PA TownshipNews MAY 2008 Diana Dorman needs an aspirin maybe two, maybe more. The secretarytreasurer for Herrick Township, Bradford County, has roads on her mind and, as usual, they are giving her a headache. Of course, this happens every spring when the snow begins to melt, revealing a new crop of bone-rattling ruts and head-jarring potholes. But this year, Dorman s headache has morphed into a migraine, and it s all because a Texas-based energy company suspects the rural township, which has 676 residents and 43 miles of dirt roads, is home to a rich underground reservoir of natural gas. To get to it, the Southwestern Energy Production Company has sent in at least 600 trucks, including nearly two dozen 18-wheelers weighed down with heavy equipment and building materials, so that workers could rig together an exploratory well. Similar wells are planned in neighboring Susquehanna County as part of a $26 million initiative to uncover new gas reserves. However, no one was more surprised by SEPCO s arrival than Dorman and the township supervisors, who helplessly watched the delivery trucks pummel two unpaved roads, turning the seven-mile stretch into a muddy, greasy, deep-rutted mess. Soaking rains in early March only compounded the problem. They just showed up with hundreds of trucks that s no exaggeration and started hauling in all the equipment and destroying the roads, Dorman says. Since then, residents have been complaining, cars have been bottoming out, and township officials have been working overtime to make the roads passable again, she says. It s a nightmare, Dorman says, adding that the company never notified the township or explained the magnitude of the drilling operation. In our wildest dreams, we never could have imagined that something like this could happen to our roads. But it did and now the township, which has a two-man maintenance crew and a $135,000 road budget, has

6 to put its faith in SEPCO, which has promised to rebuild the roads. We don t have the manpower, the money, or the knowledge to repair the damage, Dorman says. Herrick Township is also preparing for the very real possibility that more roads could face a similar fate. To protect itself, the township plans to listen to its solicitor, who has advised the board of supervisors to post and bond their roads. SEPCO has already told us that if this well proves to be functioning, they re going to drill six more sites in the township, Dorman says. And, believe me, we re going to be prepared. Herrick Township, however, isn t alone in its road woes, especially this time of year when township phones are ringing with complaints and roadmasters are trying to figure out how to pay for all the grading, paving, and patching. Of course, like Diana Dorman, you may be tempted to reach for the aspirin bottle, too. But reach for this article instead. We recently talked to a number of road experts, those people who are in the trenches every day, have seen it all, and have the answers. With their help, the News has compiled a list of the five most common road headaches and how to cure them. Road Headache No. 1: Too many priorities, too little money and manpower The problem With the summer road season just around the corner, Doug Roth, a supervisor and the public works director for Penn Township in Butler County, has been researching material costs and doesn t like what he is finding. The price of asphalt, much like the price of gasoline and diesel, has skyrocketed, climbing from nearly $37 per ton in 2004 to $56 per ton in 2007, says Roth, who also chairs the advisory committee for PennDOT LTAP The Local Technical Assistance Program. That s quite a jump, and I m afraid to see what this year s numbers are going to be, he says. I m worried our roads are going to start looking worse instead of better. ä Upset residents, an unpredictable Mother Nature, increasing fuel prices, and shrinking road dollars all of these and more are enough to give any township supervisor or roadmaster a headache. But with a little know-how and some helpful advice, you can soon be on the path to easing whatever is ailing your roads. MAY 2008 PA TownshipNews 11

7 Road Headaches Keep in mind, this statement is coming from someone whose township has a $400,000 road budget a gold mine, to some. However, the truth is, townships of all sizes and budgets are struggling to keep their transportation systems in good shape, repair trouble spots, and set priorities with limited manpower and road dollars that don t stretch as far as they used to. Local officials are just trying to do their jobs, but a lot of things that are beyond their control are eating away at their road budgets and causing them to fall behind, says Tim Montag, the education and public relations director for the Pennsylvania Association of Asphalt Material Applicators. It s a domino effect, and the last thing they want to do is raise taxes. Muncy Township in Lycoming County is typical of many municipalities in Pennsylvania. It has a two-man road crew that has just $100,000 to spend on road projects in When you consider it costs an estimated $60,000 to pave a mile of road, it s clear that money isn t going to stretch very far. Our wish list is higher than our revenues, that s for sure, says assistant roadmaster Paul Wentzler, who also serves as a township supervisor. He and the township s roadmaster, both part-timers, oversee 21 miles of roads, and given their limited time and money, they can only accomplish so much. We work our schedules around what we have to do, Wentzler says, noting the pair s work is never really done. It s frustrating. Just when you get something fixed, another problem pops up. State lawmakers have attempted to give municipalities some relief: They increased the annual allocation for turnback roads in 2006 and passed Act 44 in 2007, which delivers an additional $30 million a year for local road and bridge projects. However, the Act 44 money, which townships, boroughs, and cities must share, wasn t the additional funding that local officials had been praying for to help fix their infrastructure. Transportation funding is the No. 1 issue for PSATS, and we ve been urging lawmakers for many years to restore the municipal fair share of the Liquid Fuels Local officials are just trying to do their jobs, but a lot of things that are beyond their control are eating away at their road budgets and causing them to fall behind. 12 PA TownshipNews MAY 2008

8 Fund, PSATS Executive Director R. Keith Hite says. Until that day comes and I hope it s sooner, rather than later taxpayers and townships will continue to pay the price, in more ways than one, for the commonwealth s deteriorating roads and bridges. The solutions So the question is, how can your township make the most of the road dollars it does have? Well, as many roadmasters have found, free technical advice and training, the foundation of any solid road program, are theirs for the asking. For instance, PennDOT s Bureau of Municipal Services operates 11 maintenance districts, each of which is staffed with a team of experts. These representatives will visit your township, check out the trouble spots, advise you on money-saving techniques and materials, and help you find grants and low-interest loans. PennDOT has also developed a number of useful publications, available through your Municipal Services representative and at under Forms, Publications, and Maps. (See the sidebar on Page 14.) PennDOT LTAP is another reliable resource for road information. Administered by PSATS and staffed with road experts and traffic engineers, LTAP offers a number of invaluable services, many of which are free, including workshops and product demonstrations; onsite visits by professional engineers, who are also available by phone and to answer your questions; and publications, including a semiannual newsletter and technical information sheets. [To learn more about LTAP s services, log onto or call toll-free (800) FOR-LTAP ( ).] The best advice I have for townships is, work your resources, including PSATS, LTAP, and Municipal Services, says Randy Albert, the Municipal Services supervisor for District 2. There isn t one spot to look for all the answers, and the help won t just come to you. You have to reach out and ask for it. Roadmaster Ken White of Eaton and Tunkhannock townships, Wyoming County, agrees: There is money out there if you know where to look. ä MAY 2008 PA TownshipNews 13

9 PennDOT has experts in the field to help townships navigate road hurdles The state Department of Transportation s Bureau of Municipal Services operates 11 maintenance districts staffed with experts who can help your township figure out the best techniques and materials to use on your roads, as well as pinpoint grants and low-interest loans for projects. Here s how to get in touch with the Municipal Services supervisors assigned to your county: District 1-0: Serving Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango, and Warren counties Municipal Services supervisor: Michael J. Dutko (814) District 2-0: Serving Cameron, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, McKean, Mifflin, Juniata, and Potter counties Municipal Services supervisor: Randy Albert, P.E. (814) District 3-0: Serving Bradford, Columbia, Lycoming, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder, Sullivan, Tioga, and Union counties Municipal Services supervisor: Don Free (570) District 4-0: Serving Lackawanna, Luzerne, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne, and Wyoming counties Municipal Services supervisor: Mark Keklak (570) District 5-0: Serving Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton, and Schuylkill counties Municipal Services supervisor: John Davis (610) District 6-0: Serving Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties Municipal Services supervisor: Valerie Temino (610) District 8-0: Serving Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, and York counties Municipal Services supervisor: Scott Lehman (717) District 9-0: Serving Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Fulton, Huntingdon, and Somerset counties Municipal Services supervisor: Michael Ford (814) District 10-0: Serving Armstrong, Butler, Clarion, Indiana, and Jefferson counties Municipal Services supervisor: Allen Williams (724) District 11-0: Serving Allegheny, Beaver, and Lawrence counties Municipal Services supervisor: Dan Woodall (412) District 12-0: Serving Fayette, Greene, Washington, and Westmoreland counties Municipal Services supervisor: Richard Marker, P.E. (724) Road Headaches On the structural side, experts have one mantra for saving money and reducing headaches: Eliminate repeat maintenance on your roads. Every year, I hear the same complaint from road crews: We have to do this or we have to do that every year, says Allen Williams, the Municipal Services supervisor for District 10. Well, maybe there is a reason a root cause for that. Maybe your ditches aren t as clean as they need to be, he adds. Maybe your roads need better drainage systems. Since water is a road s worst enemy because it can lead to troublesome cracking and potholes, Williams recommends that townships take the time to inspect, repair, and replace nearby drainage ditches and pipes. Also, something as simple as a good crown can minimize water s impact on a road, especially a dirt and gravel one, says Tim Ziegler, a field operations specialist with Penn State s Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies. As a result, money dedicated to these and other drainage improvements is money wisely spent, experts say. Roads deteriorate from the bottom up, Williams says. When you re treating symptoms, you re working from the top down, but when you re treating the disease, you re working from the bottom up. Townships that spend their limited funding on keeping their good roads in good condition are also making a smart decision, Tim Montag says. I always tell local officials to focus on their best roads first, he says. If they don t, and they pour all of their money into their worst roads, pretty soon their good roads are going to be just as bad. And when it comes to purchasing materials and equipment, townships can save money by piggybacking on state contracts through such programs as CO- STARS, or participating in cooperative purchasing programs through the local council of governments, if one exists. In addition, experts say, intergovernmental cooperation is a valuable 14 PA TownshipNews MAY 2008

10 strategy for stretching budgets and manpower when undertaking road projects. Two or three townships working together, whether it s daily or on a project-by-project basis, makes a lot of sense, PennDOT s Randy Albert says. Williams agrees and, in particular, advocates that municipalities cut costs by jointly purchasing equipment. Everyone has a grader, he says, but it sits in the township garage for 10 months out of the year. Wouldn t it make more sense to share one with a few of your neighbors? It all boils down to being efficient and making the most of your road dollars, says Lee Zimmerman, the roadmaster for Earl Township in Lancaster County. If you save money over here, that leaves a lot more for you to spend over there. Road Headache No. 2: Destructive forces The problem In mid-march, the snow was just beginning to melt in Elk Township, Clarion County, and roadmaster Keith Etzel was itching to get out and see how the municipality s 41 miles of roads made it through the winter. We had a lot of freezing and thawing this year, he says. That s a painful cycle because it s so hard on the roads. But Mother Nature, who brings snow and ice in the winter and floodinducing rains in the spring, is only one of the destructive forces that township roadmasters must face day in and day out. The public is another. In some townships, for instance, heavy equipment operators muddy up local roads. In others, residents carelessly direct stormwater onto streets or plug up drainage ditches. A concrete truck going up a road in the spring when the ground is wet and soft will do more damage than all the traffic the rest of the year, Muncy Township s Paul Wentzler says. Just ask Joanne Zimmerman, the secretary-treasurer for rural Lurgan Township in Franklin County. Four years ago, trucks hauling concrete to a construction site destroyed an unpaved road. As a result, the township had to dig deep into its own pocket to come up with $55,000 almost as much as it budgets for summer road maintenance to undo the damage, Zimmerman says. We had to beg, borrow, and steal from everywhere to come up with the money to repair the road, she says. We re OK now, but it took us a few years to recover financially from that. The solutions Although some things are simply beyond your township s control that flood is going to happen whether you like it or not township supervisors and road crews aren t completely powerless. You just need to be proactive. Each spring, says PennDOT s Allen Williams, townships should invest the time and the manpower to rate the condition of their transportation system, including roads, signs, and drainage pipes. Such an inventory will help roadmasters zero in on trouble spots and prioritize projects so that by the time the first snowflake falls, the township s MAY 2008 PA TownshipNews 15

11 Road Headaches infrastructure is prepped to withstand the punishment. It s important to take stock of what you have and establish that baseline, Williams says. In Penn Township, Butler County, roadmaster Doug Roth has had his share of weather-related problems just ask him about Hurricane Ivan but people have been just as aggravating. We spend a lot of money to keep our roads in good condition, he says, but we were having problems with contractors. They were dumping mulch and rip-rap on the roads, scraping them up, and leaking oil all over the place. Fed up, Roth and his fellow township supervisors passed an ordinance that imposes a $500 fine on those caught damaging the roads. While passing a similar ordinance is an option for townships, the Township Code already gives supervisors teeth for dealing with people and the damage they do, says Sam Gregory, PSATS municipal transportation specialist. Sections 2320 and 2326 cover several transgressions, such as diverting water onto public roads and damaging drainage ditches, all of which are summary offenses punishable by fines of up to $1,000. Beyond this, townships that experience heavy truck traffic and more and more municipalities are should also consider posting weight limits and bonding roads and bridges, Williams says. The process, outlined in PennDOT Publication 221, ensures that your township won t have to foot the bill for damage caused by overweight vehicles. Although a formal posting and bonding program involves some expense and effort, experts strongly recommend that township officials implement one. It s worth the expense to protect your roads, PennDOT s Randy Albert says. And once you implement your program, you should be sure to inspect and record the condition of a bonded road, preferably with a video camera, before and after hauling occurs, Williams advises. Document the scenario, he says. That way, you ll minimize arguments if they come up. Eaton Township in Wyoming County posts a 10-ton weight limit on its roads, a majority of which are unpaved, between February 15 and April 15 each year, roadmaster Ken White says. That s when the trucks can hurt them the most, he says, adding that the posting and bonding program protects the township. You really have to do this if you want to save your roads. Road Headache No. 3: Traffic tie-ups The problem Just about everybody has a car these days, and more cars on the road means one thing: more traffic. Nationwide, Americans spend more than 100 hours a year commuting to work, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Here in Pennsylvania, motorists spend an average of 25 minutes driving to work. ä 16 PA TownshipNews MAY 2008

12 Road Headaches So it s not surprising that many townships, particularly those along the state s borders where most growth is occurring, are feeling the squeeze of too many cars. The problem is more pronounced in bigger townships, but rural townships are feeling it, too, PennDOT s Randy Albert says. Some roads in Lancaster County s Earl Township average 6,000 vehicles a day. To ease the situation, the township will soon begin a major signalization project along Route 322, which intersects the township. Several years ago, a similar scenario began playing out in Tunkhannock Township in Monroe County, a bedroom community nestled in the Pocono Mountains. Then, at least 3,000 to 4,000 new homes brought a growing population and, along with it, more traffic, which overwhelmed the township s outdated roads, roadmaster Bruce Walder says. At the time, we had narrow roads to begin with some weren t more than 16 feet wide, he says, and they just couldn t handle it. And that s the way it is in many Pennsylvania municipalities, where the roads were built many decades ago and simply aren t structured to handle today s growing traffic volumes, says Ted Balaker, author of The Road More Traveled: Why the Congestion Crisis Matters More Than You Think, and What We Can Do About It. Our roads were designed in another century that had different economic needs and different travel patterns, he recently told a Pittsburgh newspaper. tie-ups has its rewards: Drivers aren t as frustrated, and accidents along those busy thoroughfares tend to dramatically decrease. Therefore, if congestion is a problem in your township, it might be a good time to talk to a consultant and explore how other townships have kept their traffic flowing. In 2006, Lower Providence Township and neighboring West Norriton Township in Montgomery County worked together to install a synchronized signal system at seven intersections along a heavily traveled corridor, once the site of frequent tie-ups and accidents. The project, which won a 2007 Road and Bridge Safety Improvement Award, has made a big difference, police Chief Francis Carroll says. The system has improved safety conditions at all the intersections and has significantly improved traffic flow in both municipalities, eliminating long backups that led to motorists frustration, he says. In fact, during the first six months of operation, the system reduced traffic accidents along the corridor by 40 percent. Penn Township in Lancaster County had similar success when it decided to improve the intersection of two local roads and a state road, which together average an estimated 22,000 vehicles a day. A local business paid for much of the work, which included the addition of turning lanes and a traffic signal, roadmaster Daryl Lefever says. The project, which has kept traffic flowing and minimized accidents, also won a Road and Bridge Safety Improvement Award in They helped to foot the bill, Lefever says, and the township is reaping the rewards. Road Headache No. 4: Careless drivers in work zones The problem No doubt about it, roadwork is dangerous. Drivers are either in a hurry or distracted or both and that s a problem Our roads were designed in another century that had different economic needs and different travel patterns. More and more townships are experiencing increased traffic. Although the solutions to this problem aren t cheap, money invested in curing this particular headache will lessen motorists frustration and accidents. The solutions Curing this particular road headache isn t cheap. For instance, Lancaster County s Earl Township will be spending $500,000 on its congestion-reducing project. However, township officials statewide have found that easing traffic 18 PA TownshipNews MAY 2008 Socolow Photography

13 Road Headaches for crew members, none of whom have eyes in the backs of their heads. I ve had some close calls, says Muncy Township s Paul Wentzler, so we do our darnedest to keep something between us and the public. It s gotten so bad that Wentzler and the township s roadmaster shut projects down during rush hour. We just call it quits and start back up when things Townships that have small crews working on their roads don t have to forego safety to stay within budget. In fact, experts say that PennDOT s work zone standards, found in Publication 213, offer a handful of alternatives for municipalities with limited manpower. 20 PA TownshipNews MAY 2008 quiet down, he says. In an ideal situation, experts say that townships should have work zone flaggers to manage traffic while crews concentrate on the project at hand. However, this isn t feasible for many small townships, which simply don t have the money in the budget to hire the extra help. The solutions So what can you do if you have a small road crew but still want to protect yourself and the motoring public? Patrick Wright, a senior traffic engineer with LTAP, says that townships must first familiarize themselves with PennDOT s Publication 213, which outlines the requirements for work zone safety found in the federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. (For a free copy of Publication 213, contact your Municipal Services representative or log onto and click on Forms, Publications, and Maps. ) These work zone standards provide several options for townships, particularly those with small road crews. For instance, the regulations authorize municipalities to close streets, when possible, use one flagger, and self-regulate traffic, Wright says. Local road crews are also required to wear reflective gear. Studies show that if you follow these guidelines, the work zone is safer for everyone, he says. Safe work zones also help to reduce a township s liability. Still, some municipalities don t follow the standards. There are people who don t like to follow the guidelines because of the effort involved, PennDOT s Randy Albert says, but my question to them is: Why wouldn t you? Township officials should also keep in mind that training on work zone safety is available through LTAP, which posts information about upcoming workshops at LTAP/. In addition, a workshop, titled Road Safety: Flagging, Work Zones, Signs, Signals, and Pavement Markings, will be presented Monday, May 12, at PSATS 86 th Annual Educational Conference and Trade Show in Hershey. For registration information, call the Association at (717) Road Headache No. 5: Great expectations The problem Residents want a lot from township officials, including low taxes and smooth, clear sailing on local roads. While their expectations may be extremely high, your road budget is what it is: limited. That doesn t stop the complaints, though, which come fast and furious during the spring pothole season and the winter plowing season. People today are spoiled, Muncy Township s Paul Wentzler says. When I was a

14 Road Headaches kid, they didn t start plowing until the cars started getting stuck. Now, if there s a crack in the road, people complain. The solutions To a person, roadmasters agree that honesty is the best policy when dealing with upset residents. And whatever you do, don t make promises you can t keep. Honesty will get you pretty far, Wentzler says. People understand when you explain a situation to them before you take action. When I m talking to residents, Penn Township s Doug Roth says, I always try to communicate our budget and manpower constraints. In addition to being honest, roadmasters need to be accessible, says Ken White, roadmaster for Wyoming County s Tunkhannock and Eaton townships. I try to take care of every complaint, he says. If you ignore residents, they are only going to get angrier so, for me, it s important to keep the peace. Keith Etzel, roadmaster for Elk Township in Clarion County, employs the same strategy: If someone calls me and says his road is in bad shape, I ll take a ride out there, check it out, and call him back. I don t like to leave people hanging. It s good to keep residents informed. And townships should use every outlet at their disposal, including their newsletters, Web sites, and local newspapers and radio stations, to convey information about their roads, PennDOT s Allen Williams says. Each road season, use these forums to spell out your goals and explain that you have chosen certain projects and processes because that is what your budget and time allow, he says. That will help to minimize those great expectations. Bob Garrett, PennDOT s Municipal Services coordinator, says exchanging information is a two-way street and recommends that townships enlist residents to alert them about trouble spots. Some municipalities, for instance, operate road hotlines. Municipal road crews are constantly scanning streets for maintenance problems, but they can t be everywhere at once, Garrett says. That s when it s good to have a program in place for residents to report potential problems. With some simple education through pamphlets or newsletter articles, residents can be alerted about how to keep their eyes open and promptly report problems they see on the roadways. These residents can be the extra eyes that help to get problems repaired sooner, prevent potential crashes, and possibly save lives. Still, no matter what tactics you take to keep residents happy and your roads headache-free, in the end, it all boils down to one thing, Etzel says: I ve been working on roads for 19 years, and good common sense goes a long way. F 22 PA TownshipNews MAY 2008

15 New approach helps Monroe County township ease road headaches When it comes to roads, every township eventually finds a system that works for it. Some townships, rather than go to the expense of hiring workers and purchasing expensive equipment, prefer to rely on contractors. Others have small road crews that perform routine maintenance but leave the bigger jobs, such as paving and reclamation, to outsiders. There are a lot of ways to do roads, says John Davis, Municipal Services supervisor for PennDOT District 5. A lot of it has to do with the expertise of the road crew and the support they get from the elected officials. In the case of Tunkhannock Township in Monroe County, the supervisors made a dramatic move four years ago when they decided to invest in specialized equipment and hand more responsibility to the six-man road crew. As a result, the township has saved $1.5 million and made significant improvements to its roads, roadmaster Bruce Walder says. Still, this shift in philosophy wasn t an easy sell, especially to the workers, none of whom had a strong background in construction. When I told the crew that we were going to switch from filling potholes to rebuilding our infrastructure from the ground up, Walder recalls, you should have seen the look on their faces. the housing market brought as many as 4,000 new homes to this bedroom community in the Poconos. However, its narrow roads some no more than 16 feet wide weren t ready for all of those people and their cars. The past started catching up with us, Walder says. Something had to be done; however, the township supervisors soon realized they would have to ante up millions of dollars, and possibly take out loans, to upgrade the transportation system. That s when they turned to Walder, their new roadmaster, and asked him to devise a plan to cut costs while still improving the roads. I knew our roads would continue to deteriorate if we didn t do something dramatic, he says. So he proposed a radical idea: Create the Tunkhannock Township Department of Public Works, upgrade its equipment, train the road crew in construction techniques, and have them tackle the majority of the work, including rebuilding several miles of roads. The supervisors agreed, and Walder, who has worked in construction much of his life, spent the next year showing his team the ropes. In addition, the workers also attend PSATS Annual Educational Conference and workshops sponsored by PennDOT LTAP. I worked right next to them that first year, Walder says. It was rough, but now they can do everything from bridges to drainage. I think I have the only road crew that can formulate Superpave mixtures and explain how and why they came up with that mix design. Saving money and earning respect Beginning with its very first project, which required the department to rebuild and pave a one-mile stretch of road, the public works crew has saved the township money. A contractor estimated the project would cost more than $620,000. Much of that was just profit, Walder says. However, by relying on its employees, the township wound up spending a little more than $112,000. (Note: This figure does not include employees wages.) We have saved the taxpayers a lot of money and eliminated a lot of problems, he says. Along the way, the public works department has earned the respect of township residents, too. Before, when we were out on the roads, people would drive by and heckle us, Walder says, but now, after seeing the quality of work we re doing, the public is just tickled pink. Photo courtesy of Tunkhannock Township, Monroe County A new approach At the time, the township was experiencing growing pains. A boom in Members of the Tunkhannock Township Department of Public Works are, from left: Roadmaster Bruce F. Walder Jr., Byron Witt, Roger Smith, Cliff Capuano, Troy Counterman, Tom Kraft, and Bruce Yerk. MAY 2008 PA TownshipNews 23