SOUTH FORK — Replacing an Adams Township bridge will close the only road access to about two dozen homes and a business in the Amsite Road development.
Residents are not concerned because the township has announced plans to reopen a second access point.
A new culvert pipe will be installed and existing guide rails removed to reconnect dead-end Harley Street to Route 869 just east of the Ragers Hill Road intersection
“It is no problem at all,” William Keller said outside his Harley Street home. “I just get to see more traffic.”
The solution is not new. The same issue came up when the 1977 Flood washed out the end of Amsite Road.
“This whole road was washed out,” Hillegas Bus Service representative Douglas Yamrose recalled, standing on the Amsite Road bridge.
“When the flood hit, both sides of this road were totally destroyed. In two days they had that other road opened up.”
The bridge over a small tributary to the South Fork of Little Conemaugh River survived the flood, but has now become structurally deficient.
Township supervisors last week awarded the EADs Group of Altoona and Somerset a contract to design and oversee the bridge replacement, now expected to be done during the summer of 2010. The estimated $730,000 cost will be split 80-15-5 percent by the federal, state and township governments under the Federal Aid Bridge Project.
Supervisors want to schedule construction during Forest Hills School District’s summer vacation to reduce inconvenience for the Hillegas Bus Service, Chairman William “B.J.” Smith said.
“The township has been really good,” Yamrose said. “They even assisted in getting a permit for the buses to use the bridge.”
Currently, the bridge is under reduced weight restrictions. Empty buses can use it because only one axle is on the short bridge at any time, he explained.
Local News
Related Photos
-
Randy Griffith
Discussion
Adams Township plans detour during bridge replacement
- Local News
-
-
Highlights of Gov. Corbett's Marcellus Shale spending plan
Read on to see a bulleted list of Gov. Tom Corbett’s $27.1 billion state spending plan for the year that starts July 1.
-
Pa. gas drilling fee bill debate ends without vote
Pennsylvania, the only major gas-producing state that does not tax the taking of natural gas from its soil, moved closer Tuesday to imposing a fee on the drilling in the vast Marcellus Shale reserves that have transformed the state in recent years.
-
Blogging with heart
I've got so much stuff for this Sunday's American Heart Month package, that some of the stories will spill over onto Monday. But I don't know what to leave out, or hold for the next week, so it looks like a double hit this week.
-
$27.1B budget proposed
Gov. Tom Corbett on Tuesday proposed a budget of $27.1 billion, with no tax increases, deep cuts to higher education assistance and a range of cost-cutting in services for the poor, elderly and disabled.
-
Universities face steep cuts
State universities still trying to recover from deep cuts last year would have their public funding slashed even further under a budget plan unveiled Tuesday, leading some institutions to warn of a choice between maintaining buildings and offering academic programs students need to graduate.
-
Plan hurts middle class, local Democrats contend
While members of his own party praised Gov. Tom Corbett’s fiscal restraint, some local Democratic lawmakers said the Republican’s proposed budget panders to corporate interests while inflicting pain on the middle class.
-
Detour hurting some Portage businesses
Craig Mazzarese’s business depends heavily on drive-by customers, but since last week fewer drive-bys have been stopping
-
Local airport funding intact
Airport leaders here are breathing sighs of relief after Congress approved funding to support local commercial air service through 2015.
-
With state revenue tight, Westmont seeks school budget input
The Westmont Hilltop school board on Tuesday night held a public forum at the middle school to explain why the district, already one of the most efficient in the state, must raise taxes each year.
-
In brief: Commissioners plan to meet at schools
Cambria County’s three new commissioners, carrying out plans to take meetings into communities, have scheduled five of their meetings this year in high school auditoriums throughout the county.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Former Komen Exec Defends Funding Cut
Skip the Coffee Cup and Inhale Your Caffeine Fix
Calif. Gay Marriage Ban Ruled Unconstitutional
Jury Selection for Ex-UVa Athlete Enters 2nd Day
Raw Video: Giants Celebrate Another Super Bowl
Cab Driver Helps Wis. Family Escape House Fire
Greek Leaders Seek Deal As Bankruptcy Looms
Bernanke: Recovery Depends on Consumer Spending
Staff Removed at LA School During Abuse Probe
Eastwood in Super Bowl Ad 'Compassionate'
Stranded Fishermen Rescued From Bay of Green Bay
Analyst: Outside Troops Won't Intervene in Syria
Police: Father Planned Deadly Fire for Some Time
US, UK Pressure on Syria; More Homs Violence
Raw Video: Mass Killer Wants Medal, Freedom
Court Strips Contador of Tour De France Title
Runaway Goat Leads Police on Wild Chase
And the Winner for Best Super Bowl Ad Is...
Romney Latest Poll to Join Let-me-explain Club
