Valley Brook ramp project has begun
The long-anticipated traffic nightmare in Peters Township was set to begin May 22 when the intersection of Old Washington and Valley Brook roads, along with the ramp leading to and from Valley Brook and Route 19, closed for at least 15 months. About 11,000 vehicles each day must now find a different route while the ramp is widened and lengthened, and the intersection with Old Washington Road is realigned.
While the multi-million dollar project is funded through the state Department of Transportation, Peters Township contributed $800,000 for the improvements, which have been mired for more than a few years in litigation involving a billboard and land acquisitions.
Signs have been posted, media alerts have been issued and attempts to inform the public have been ongoing for years. Yet, for many, the closure was expected to be, well, unexpected.
“From our perspective, we are ready,” Paul Lauer, assistant township manager, said a few days before the anticipated road closure. “But despite our best efforts, a lot of people will discover this when the road is closed. I expect we’ll hear, ‘Why didn’t you tell us?'”
One of the main concerns of the township is to keep the community informed that the businesses on the western end of Valley Brook Road will remain open during construction.
A spokesman from the Peters Township Fire Department, who said he spoke for the entire department, said the closure could be compared to an impending thunderstorm: “You know it’s going to storm, but you don’t know how much rain we’ll get or where it will hit.”
Official detours are posting using state-owned roads including East McMurray and Boyce roads. However, township officials are aware that motorists will attempt to find alternate routes through residential streets. To reduce traffic congestion in residential neighborhoods, township council will monitor traffic patterns and authorize installation of temporary stop signs.
Drivers will be prohibited from traveling along Valley Brook Road under the area where Washington Road travels over the road. The ramp from the southbound side of Washington Road past the self-storage facility will remain open. However, only southbound traffic heading toward Lawrence will be permitted to use the ramp.
Township police Chief Harry Fruecht said all officers are aware of the changes in traffic and of the potential for additional vehicles in residential neighborhoods. The situation will be monitored.
Losing a major east-west traffic corridor in the township will present a hardship not only to motorists, but also to emergency personnel, including the ambulance service.
Up until about five years ago, Peters Township VFW Post 764 Ambulance Service also provided emergency service to Lawrence in Cecil Township. Supervisor Dan Gulasy said currently, Lawrence is covered by SouthBridge ambulance and for that, he is thankful.
Ambulance crews conducted trial runs using alternate routes to be more familiar when emergency calls are received.
“If it’s a low priority, we’ll do the best we can with the traffic flow,” Gulasy said. “If it’s high (priority) we’ll use Center Church Road.” If the response time is anticipated to be longer because of the traffic congestion, Gulasy said paramedics from the fire department on East McMurray Road will be requested.
“I’m more concerned about the heavy traffic during rush hour and how that flows,” he said. Some trips may take an additional 10 minutes. Crews from Tri-Community and Canonsburg Hospital Ambulance services are aware of the 15-month construction time frame and will act as back-up, Gulasy said.
At one time, construction was not be begin until after the current school year ended. With the start moved up, the Peters Township School District has adjusted bus scheduled until the end of the 2012-13 school year.
“The bus garage estimated five or six routes will be directly affected on Valley Brook and Old Washington roads, and almost all routes will be indirectly affected by more traffic,” said Shelly Belcher, district spokeswoman.
All of the district’s staff members are aware of the situation and a telephone call was placed to parents the night before the closure.
Changes will be factored in as of next year’s routes, Belcher said. At a joint meeting of school board members and township council, additional changes were discussed with implementation possible once the traffic patterns settle in by the fall.
The fire department spokesman said the first week will be the worst as people learn different ways of getting around the inconvenience. With the main fire station along East McMurray Road, traffic will be congested. There is a substation at the intersection of Sugar Camp and Bebout roads that will be used as needed.
There is a mutual aid agreement with Cecil Township as about a half mile of Valley Brook Road before the purple bridge boundary will only be accessible through Rock Run Road or from the southbound ramp near the self-storage facility. Surrounding departments will also supply back-up.
Alternate routes are posted throughout the fire station and firefighters are alerted by email each Friday. Despite posting of alternate routes, mutual aid agreements and email alerts, one concerns remains as to how the volunteers will battle traffic to reach the station in the event of an emergency call. The department does have paid staff 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
For 15 or more months, traffic will be diverted, neighborhoods will be affected, school bus routes will be altered and tempers will flare. However, the end result is predicted to be an improvement.
“This project has been a long-time coming and the inconvenience will be for a long time,” Lauer said.