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Project to continue through winter

POTTERS MILLS — Despite recent weather conditions, the Potters Mills Gap Transportation project will continue through the winter months, said John Wert, Glenn O. Hawbaker, Inc. project manager. Wert said one of the next steps in the project includes breaking down and excavating boulders to stabilize the slope, which should not be impeded by winter weather conditions, and will have to continue during the day for the safety of drivers and construction workers.

“It would be great not to have to inconvenience everybody and do the work at night, but it’s not safe (that way,)” Wert said.

Greg Sidorick, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation District 2 project manager, said that while construction will halt from today through Monday, drivers should still expect traffic delays in 15-minute increments between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. daily. Sidorick said he hopes drivers will be patient and considerate of the construction workers when passing through the gap.

Sidorick and Wert both said the project is still on schedule for completion by the end of 2020. Though delays outside of the project’s control have come up, such as utility companies’ relocation efforts, Wert said the inclement weather has not been a factor in delaying the project, as tasks could be, and were, rearranged to stay on schedule.

“It’s nothing that we don’t deal with every day,” Wert said.

Recent accidents in the gap-area and excavating the narrow, rocky and hilly area have presented challenges, Wert said, however, the recent accidents have not resulted from elements of the project. Incidentally, Wert said, traffic accidents that take place in the gap-area are among the primary purposes for pursuing and completing the project.

The project website states that the project aims to “improve safety, reduce congestion, and alleviate access concerns along the section of Route 322 … to west of the Route 322/Route 144 intersection at Potters Mills.”

Marla Fannin, PennDOT District 2 press officer, said the work being done now needs to continue steadily so that construction can shift from the existing 322 to the formation of the new mainline highway.

More than 450,000 cubic yards of excavation has already been completed this year, as has installation of 10,000 linear feet of drainage pipe and 7,000 linear feet of roadway underdrain, completing the realignment of Lloyd avenue and nearing completion of placing Township Roads 2 and 3 into service.

Ultimately, the final phase of the $94 million project will include the construction of the Potters Mills Interchange to the west of the existing Route 322 intersection with Route 144, the creation of a local road connection between Potters Mills and Sand Mountain Road and removing Potter Run arch culvert and replacing it with a new bridge. Additionally, a roundabout to connect the western interchange of the newly aligned 322 to the local roads, including service roads that provide connections to Wild Turkey Drive, Coulter Lane, Miller Road and other properties losing direct access to Route 322 will be constructed as well as eliminating the at-grade intersection of Decker Valley Road/Crowfield Road with Route 322.

Community members are encouraged to visit www.penndot.gov/pottersmillsgap to stay up-to-date or view a 3-D model of the completed highway at the District 2 project office, located in the former Eutaw House on Route 144. Fannin said travel alerts should be issued on a weekly basis and strongly encourages people to utilize PA-511–by phone, web or smart phone app–to keep up to date on the project and other driving conditions.

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