Cranberry Not Permitted To Plow Many Heavily Traveled Roads

CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, PA - If you’re dissatisfied with snowy conditions on some of Cranberry’s main roads this winter, your beef might be with PennDOT rather than the township.

The reason why likely will be discussed at an upcoming public meeting to discuss how Cranberry responds to treacherous winter weather. Township Manager Jerry Andree will host the session on Jan. 30 at 6:30 p.m. in the second-floor training room of the Public Works Building next to Community Park.

Some residents might not be aware that Cranberry isn’t responsible for clearing nearly 50 miles of some of the community’s most heavily-traveled roads - including Routes 19 and 228, Freedom, Franklin, Rochester, Rowan, Callery, Glen Eden and Plains Church roads, in addition to the Turnpike and Interstate 79. Those roads are state-owned and maintained and the township isn’t permitted to plow or salt them.

What would happen if Cranberry did? PennDOT could withdraw its maintenance and turn full responsibility for the cost-prohibitive roads’ upkeep over to the township.

The township also isn’t responsible for clearing 50 private roads totaling 32 miles. Those duties fall on the owners of property along those roads, just as the responsibility for interior access roads and parking lots in local shopping centers, office parks and malls falls on their respective owners.

Cranberry does provide snow and ice removal on eight other private roads under contract, township officials said.

According to statistics provided by the township, between mid-December and January 8, 16 township plow trucks covered more than 10,000 miles, spreading 2,400 tons of salt on 119 miles of local roads and more than 300 cul-de-sacs. That’s about half the total required for an average full winter season and winter still has two full months to go.

Photo via Associated Press.