[EastSideHBG]

SWATARA TWP.

Derry Street slated for widening

Monday, June 19, 2006
BY MARY KLAUS
Of The Patriot-News

Motorists traveling on Derry Street between 50th and 61st streets are used to sitting in traffic.

"From 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Derry Street is like a big parking lot," said John Bottiglia, owner of Billow's TV & Appliance at 6100 Derry St.

"You can't move. Traffic backs way up as people try to cross the Rudolph Dininni Bridge to go to Wal-Mart and Sam's Club," he said.

Officials say those traffic jams could ease after the state Department of Transportation adds a center turning lane to Derry from 50th to 61st streets.

Greg Penny, a PennDOT spokesman, said the $1.2 million project involves widening Derry Street by 16 feet on the railroad side between 50th and 61st streets and adding an 11-foot wide left-turn lane and a five-foot wide shoulder.

The project also includes milling or removing the old asphalt surface, then paving an overlay on a 1.6-mile section of Derry Street between 42nd Street and 61st Street.

J.D. Eckman, Inc. of Atglen, the contractor, had planned to start construction by mid-May and finish by the end of the year, although the official completion date is May 18, 2007.

"The contractor is being held up by sewer work that needs to be completed by the township sewer authority," Penny said.

Scott Snoke, Swatara Twp. Sewer Authority assistant superintendent, said the township will open bids Wednesday for what he called "extensive" sewer line work.

"We are replacing old sewer pipes and manhole covers from 42nd to 50th street," he said. "Then, after PennDOT resurfaces from 42nd to 61st streets, we will make sure all our manhole covers are at the right height."

Swatara Twp. Commissioner Tony Spagnolo, who represents the Lawnton neighborhood, said he has been waiting for this project for years.

"I remember submitting a traffic scheme like this to PennDOT at least 14 years ago," he said. "This will make Lawnton safer."

Erin Plank, manager of Ice Cream Heaven at 5890 Derry St., and Tina Polychronis, manager of Promenade Family Restaurant at 5290 Derry St., agreed.

"Traffic backs up every day, especially from 3 to 4:30 p.m.," Plank said. "I've seen two rear-end accidents where one car was stopped to turn and the next one plowed into theirs. A turning lane would help the people who want to turn off Derry Street."

Polychronis said her business is on a section of Derry Street which curves.

"There are a lot of accidents because someone stops to turn and someone else turns into their car," she said.

Bottiglia said the project should be extended to 63rd Street instead of stopping at 61st.

"Cars congregate there to cross the bridge to go to Wal-Mart and Sam's Club," he said. "They also need to make the traffic light at Grayson Road and Mushroom Hill Road green longer. The Wal-Mart traffic backs everything up and creates a back flow that goes the whole way down Derry Street. They have proposed only half a solution."

Bottiglia said traffic has gotten worse over the past two years. "Our roads cannot handle the traffic." he said.