The Bath Borough Council met Monday, March 11 with a packed house for the PennDOT Route 248 realignment project presentation provided by Consultant Project Manager Michael McGuire.
McGuire expressed the need for the realignment project is due to the circuitous alignment that causes excess turning movements, driver confusion and congestion within the borough, high and increasing truck volume and for pedestrian safety.
The project includes realignment of the W. Northampton Street and W. Main Street intersection, a full bridge replacement and reconstruction of W. Northampton Street from the bridge to Chestnut Street. Route 248 will then realign from Chestnut Street, following W. Northampton Street to W. Main Street.
Construction is expected to begin during the summer of 2024, lasting two to three years and will largely depend on weather conditions throughout the project.
Additionally, when the bridge replacement phase begins sometime in 2025, there will likely be heavy traffic congestion and delays.
The project will include: new sidewalks, drainage and reconstruction on the west end; a new expanded intersection, new drainage and sidewalks, a bridge replacement over Monocacy Creek, a municipal lot for staging and access and repaving at the intersection; and new drainage, sidewalks and reconstruction of Northampton Street, which will become Route 248.
The construction staging will likely begin with utilities during the summer/fall of 2024, sewer and water relocations and improvements occurring fall 2024 to winter 2025 from the end of Northampton Street being closed past Old Forge with Route 248 remaining open, drainage, sidewalks and paving Main Street on Route 248 during winter and spring 2025, bridge construction with Northampton Street being closed at Monocacy Creek in 2025, a possible winter shutdown at the end of 2025 to the beginning of 2026 and reconstruction of Northampton Street east of the bridge in spring 2026 with Northampton Street becoming one-way for approximately four to six weeks.
McGuire added there will be some closures during the day that will be inconvenient, and that since the bridge cannot be reconstructed in pieces, it will shut Northampton Street down for approximately nine months while it is torn down and replaced; however, McGuire noted “it could be another few months give or take.” The bridge will be roughly in the same place but will somewhat reduce floodwater. PennDOT hopes by winter 2025 they can open up the bridge and come back to complete the project in spring 2026.
Detour routes will be laid out during the construction and businesses in the area will remain open throughout construction, including Villa Grande.
Several residents proposed a three-way stop sign at the Route 329 intersection and many residents voiced concerns regarding traffic control, especially on narrow residential streets where commuters try to bypass traffic, but PennDOT hasn’t proposed anything for these concerns.
“We’re all going to suffer during the construction, but the end result will be beneficial,” said Vice President Michele Ehrgott.
If there are public safety or traffic concerns during the realignment construction that residents would like to share with the PennDOT construction project superintendent, concerns may be passed along to Borough Manager Bradford T. Flynn. He can be reached at manager@boroughofbath.org or by calling the office at 610-837-6525. Additionally, President Frank Hesch stated that council would like to hear questions, problems and concerns before and throughout the project as residents are welcome to attend council meetings.
Updates on the project will be on the borough website as the project progresses.
During regular business, council approved the Steering Committee members for America’s 250th birthday celebration and announced that the borough was officially awarded the national historic designation.
Next, council unanimously approved the following motions: adopting an Emergency Notification Policy; authorization for Manager Flynn to execute the Professional Services Agreement between the Borough of Bath and HERA Property Registry on the condition the Professional Services Agreement meets the satisfaction of the borough manager and borough solicitor’s office for the registration of foreclosed houses; accepting the public bid for lawn care services and awarding the contract to Perfection Landscaping; and authorization for the borough manager to execute an agreement on behalf of the borough with UGI regarding geotechnical bores to be completed at Monocacy Creek Park by UGI for testing in relation to the water main replacement proposed on Barrall Avenue.
Council also approved authorization for the engineering department to prepare a bid package for the reconstruction and water main replacement on Barrall Avenue, a motion to advertise an ordinance repealing and removing a handicapped parking spot on Washington Street since it is no longer needed, a resolution for the real estate tax requirement, a resolution for the right-to-know policy to fix typographical errors and acceptance of the Bathwick Hills Apartment Complex time extension through October 31.
Upcoming events and meetings will include: a business forum will be held on Thursday, April 11 at 7 p.m. on the topic of security with a presentation by the Pa. State Police; Monocacy Creek cleanup will be on Saturday, April 20 from 9 to 11 a.m. and a rain date of April 27, with volunteers advised to dress appropriately, bring water and meet at Borough Hall prior to the cleanup; and an electronics recycling and document shredding event will be held on Saturday, June 15 from 9 to 11 a.m. at Fireman’s Field, 300 N. Chestnut St.
The monthly Monday, April 8 council meeting has been rescheduled and combined with the workshop meeting. Both will now be held concurrently on Wednesday, April 10 at 6 p.m. in Borough Hall, located at 121 S. Walnut St.
