Unity Township supervisors on Tuesday learned that PennDOT District 12 recently netted $100,000 in additional federal and state money to add an eye-catching enhancement to a $12 million project planned for a stretch of Route 30 and the Routes 30/981 intersection.
The extra money allows for construction of a 2,100-foot concrete median barrier on Route 30 from St. Vincent Drive east to the intersection. The barrier will be stenciled with a distinctive stone-work pattern and a stained tan finish, said Rosanne C. Rodger of SAI Consulting Engineers Inc. at yesterday's meeting with township officials at the municipal building.
"We were able to fit the money for the median barrier improvements into the (project) budget and still be able to be within budget, given all the other costs that are associated with building the project," said Jerry Bendo, PennDOT District 12 project manager, adding that 80 percent of the money was federal.
Supervisors had hoped for an elevated center strip on the four-lane stretch to be decorated with plants. But PennDOT officials told the board that safety risks involving high-traffic speeds and projected maintenance needs at that location prohibited such enhancements.
Nevertheless, board Chairman Mike O'Barto thanked PennDOT for allowing for the decorated barrier while keeping safety in mind.
"We don't want to lose sight of why Route 30 is being upgraded. We want to run a safe highway so people are able to go from one end of Unity Township to the other end in a reasonable time," O'Barto said. "We had to make the best of this situation, and PennDOT has worked with us very well. The stenciled concrete is better than just the plain Jersey barriers."
Other project matters discussed at the meeting included grass islands at the intersection, two stormwater management ponds in the immediate area and how to create a landscaped buffer zone between Route 30 west and the site for the Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve near St. Vincent College.
Future aesthetic enhancements may be considered if the price is right, Bendo said.
"As we move through this process, we're going to budget things and incorporate some more of these context-sensitive features into the design if the budget will allow," Bendo said.
The project's tentative completion date is late 2007.
