Feb 20, 2017 By Harry Funk 3 min read

With the proliferation of pricey homes in the eastern part of Peters Township putting a strain on Bebout Road traffic, local and state officials are pursuing improvements to a pair of heavily used intersections.

Township manager Paul Lauer at the Feb. 13 council meeting reported on a recent meeting with representatives of the state Department of Transportation District 12 to address Bebout at Valley Brook and the junction of East McMurray, Bebout and Thompsonville roads.

“Part of the reason why they wanted to meet with us is that they think these projects for District 12 are important, and they want to get them on there so they can be constructed,” Lauer said, referring to PennDOT’s four- and 12-year transportation improvement plans. “And of course, the way they’re interested in making that happen is to have the township contribute to the cost of the projects.

He gave estimates of $2 million for Bebout-Valley Brook, where PennDOT plans call for construction of a roundabout, and $2.35 million for East McMurray-Bebout-Thompsonville. At that intersection, extra lanes would be added for left turns off East McMurray to Bebout and for left turns in the opposite direction, with the new configuration having an effect on nearby Bittersweet Circle.

“If this design is actually implemented, it would eliminate this lefthand turn,” Lauer said about Bittersweet’s access to East McMurray. There would be a right-in, right-out only.”

Frank Arcuri, council president, called for PennDOT to develop a different plan to accommodate Bittersweet.

“That no-left is not going to fly,” he said. “People are going to be screaming.”

He also expressed concern about the type of financial commitment the township should make toward the proposed improvements.

“By the time PennDOT does this project, you know, it will probably cost three times as much what PennDOT is telling us,” Arcuri said.

Lauer recommended a way to keep township costs to a minimum.

“I think what we should be doing is agreeing to 20 percent, up to $400,000 on both of these projects,” he said. “So if there’s a miss, that miss isn’t on us. It’s on them.”

The township has about $680,000 from traffic impact fees, which are intended to help improve the local road system. Additional money could be borrowed against future payment of fees, Lauer said, as the township opted to do with regard to improvements at the intersection at East McMurray and Center Church roads.

“The reason why you’re collecting that money is to encourage PennDOT to do what exactly it is they’re talking about doing here, and I think we should be prepared to make that kind of commitment to get these projects moving,” Lauer said.

As far as a time frame, he said department’s estimate is “that the roundabout may well be under construction in two-and-a-half years. The other project is further down the road.”

Council agreed to pursue the PennDOT partnership, although member Council member Monica Merrell said she is not in favor of a Bebout-Valley Brook roundabout. Such a configuration has become a preferred PennDOT method for intersection improvements.

“The residents I’ve talked to won’t be happy if that ends up happening,” Merrell said.