Reopened Road Wins Award for Upper Frederick

Patch thanks the Pa. State Association of Township Supervisors for the following press release.

Upper Frederick Township received an honorable mention award in the 30^th Annual Road and Bridge Safety Improvement Contest, presented at the 90^th Annual Educational Conference of the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors in Hershey May 6-9. The conference attracted attendees from every county in Pennsylvania except Philadelphia, which has no townships. Upper Frederick Township was recognized for a road improvement project.

The township association sponsors the statewide Road and Bridge Safety Improvement Contest each year in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Highway Information Association and the state Department of Transportation to recognize townships for their extensive contributions of time and effort in making roads and bridges safer.

Upper Frederick Township received the honorable mention in the contest for its reconstruction and reopening of Colonial Road, which had been closed to traffic for about 12 years due to the closing of a county bridge. After the county replaced the bridge, the township had a site investigation performed to determine the condition and safety of the road, which concluded that a total reconstruction was necessary before the road could be safely opened to traffic.

For the road to be reopened, the township had to address several major issues:

      • The existing road was just 16 to 17 feet wide with no shoulders or centerline striping. Plans for the new road called for two 10-foot lanes with 2-foot paved shoulders, and wider shoulders, up to 10 feet, on the inside of curves to accommodate larger vehicles.

      • Numerous spots along the road had heavy vegetation and tree growth, which restricted sight distance. The plans proposed clearing dozens of large trees, more than 50 smaller trees, and heavy shrubs and thick grasses from the roadsides.

      • A horizontal curve of substandard design created a dangerous condition for motorists. Plans called for a horizontal curve designed according to PennDOT standards to address the curve radius and road elevation.

      • Buildup of sediment, vegetation, and other debris on the shoulders prevented proper drainage of the road surface, which undermined the pavement. The plans proposed roadside swales and grading of the shoulders to allow for drainage.

      • The road surface exhibited signs of structural failure, including block cracking, deterioration, and alligator cracking. The plans called for pavement base drains in several locations to lower the local water table, as well as a 5½-inch pavement overlay on a 6-inch subbase.

      • Signage was inadequate or lacking in many locations.

The township was able to save a significant amount of money by using its public works department for a large part of the tree and stump removal, embankment excavation, pipe and base drain installation, road widening, hauling of asphalt millings, and sign installation. A local timbering company also removed the large specimen trees at a dramatically reduced price, allowing the township to maximize the use of liquid fuels funds for the project.

The reopening of Colonial Road has provided many benefits to the community, including reduced response time for emergency services to the southwestern section of the township, quicker access to emergency care for the residents of a local assisted living facility, an alternative access point for a Girl Scout camp, and easier access to the historic Antes Homestead, site of the annual Goschenhoppen Folk Festival.

The township also had to acquire additional property for the reconstruction project, which allowed it to add an adjacent parcel to its park system. This, in turn, enabled the township to expand public access to existing pedestrian and bicycle trails and plan for future expansion and connection to other trails.

Upper Frederick Township was thrilled to be recognized with this award, manager Jackie Tallon says.

“It was quite an undertaking for such a small township,” she says. “We had never applied for any kind of award before, so to receive even an honorable mention was very gratifying, especially for the supervisors.”

Tallon says the reopening of Colonial Road has greatly improved traffic flow because the road acts as a sort of shortcut between major routes.

“That’s why we wanted to make sure it would be safe once it was reopened,” she says. “Everyone is very happy with the end result."