Published: June 01, 2008 10:48 pm         

Wet weather sets back road work

Rainy weather has delayed the start of the paving season for PennDOT crews in Cambria and Somerset counties, where more than $3 million will be spent to upgrade secondary state-owned roads through fall.

Officials from both counties have employees out preparing the dozens of secondary roads scheduled for complete resurfacing, tar and chip treatment or patching.

“The rain did set us back, but we have guys out doing patching and repairs to get the roads ready,” Somerset County PennDOT Manager Joe Kelemen said.

The main focus will be on repaving six roads for a total of more than 20 miles in Cambria County beginning the second week of July through mid-August, Cambria PennDOT Manager Denny Mehora said. In addition, 46 miles on 13 roads countywide will receive surface treatments, commonly referred to as tar and chip.

“Costs are rising, and we’re not exempt. But we’ve got to preserve the roads,” Mehora said.

Plans are to spend about $800,000 on road improvements by Cambria PennDOT crews this year, up from the $600,000 last year.

Resurfacing of secondary roads countywide will use more than 21,000 tons of blacktop. The price of the petroleum-based product has risen 36 percent in two years, said Tom Prestash, PennDOT District 9 executive.

Along with secondary road resurfacing in Cambria, 50 miles of roadway will be tarred and chipped.

The process will require 180,000 gallons of oil and 6,000 tons of stone, Mehora said.

In Somerset, where PennDOT crews will repave nearly 45 miles of road using 46,000 tons of blacktop, $2.3 million will be spent. That’s up from $2.15 million in 2007, Kelemen said.

A part of that total will be tar and chip to 14 roads countywide and less-intensive patching to 11 roads using 294,000 gallons of oil and 7,360 tons of stone on more than 64 miles.

Highway work is prioritized on five-year plans and updated annually by county managers. They ride the roads before deciding where the money will go, Kelemen said.

“With the funding available, I prioritize them,” he said.

“Some people get mad, but we look at the condition of the road, the last time it was paved and the traffic count.”



Upcoming road work



2008 Cambria County road and bridge work:

Roads to be resurfaced by county PennDOT crews:

Mark Hanna Road, Gallitzin Township, 2.3 miles.

Brentwood Avenue, Geistown, 0.5 miles.

Pine Road, Elder Township, 1.7 miles.

Killen School Road, Barr and Blacklick townships, 8 miles.

Benshoff Hill Road, Middle Taylor and Jackson townships, 5.5 miles.

Ragers Hill Road, Adams Township, 2.2 miles.

Roads to receive surface, tar and chip, treatment:

St. Joseph Road, Loretto and Cresson Township, 4 miles.

Market Street, Reade Township, 2.5 miles.

Roseland Road, Reade Township, 4 miles.

St. Lawrence Road, Patton and Elder and Chest townships, 4.8 miles.

Number 6 Road, Carrolltown and West Carroll Township, 2.8 miles.

Loop Road, Clearfield Township, 6.3 miles.

Mineral Point Road, East Taylor and Croyle townships, 5.3 miles.

Washington Avenue, Summerhill Borough, 2.7 miles.

Beyers Road, Croyle Township, 1 mile.

Gates Hill Road, Summerhill and Croyle townships, 2.7 miles.

Shawnee Road, Summerhill Township, 4 miles.

Valewood Road, Munster, Cresson and Allegheny townships, 3 miles.

Chickaree Hill Road, Vintondale and Jackson Township, 3 miles.



Patching:

Manor Drive, Allegheny Township, 3.7 miles.



Bridge:

Route 2012 bridge, Washington Township, deck replacement.



2008 Somerset County highway and bridge projects:

Roads to be resurfaced by county PennDOT crews:

Welsh Hill Road, Somerset/Stonycreek townships, 4.5 miles.

Brotherton Road, Brothersvalley Township, 2.4 miles.

Shanksville Road, Stonycreek Township, 2.6 miles.

Friedens Road, Stonycreek Township,1.5 miles.

Holsopple Road, Paint Township, 5.4 miles.

Brush Creek Road, Northampton Township, 4.2 miles.

Mountain Road, Brothersvalley/Allegheny townships, 4.9 miles.

Cooling Station Road, Summit/Brothersvalley townships, 7.6 miles.

Kingwood Road, Upper Turkeyfoot Township, 2.7 miles.

New Centerville Road, Milford Township, 3.4 miles.

Posey Corner Road, Milford Township, 2.5 miles.

Sipesville Road, Lincoln Township, 1 mile.

Boswell Road, Jenner Township, 1 mile.

Quecreek Road, Lincoln Township, 1 mile.



Roads slated for surface, tar and chip, treatment:

Coleman Station, Somerset/Stonycreek townships, 7.7 miles.

St. Paul Road, Elk Lick Township, 3.5 miles.

Matlick Road, Summit Township, 3.1 miles.

Greenville Road, Greenville Township, 5.6 miles.

Fairhope Road, Fairhope/Allegheny townships, 12 miles.

Mud Pike Road, Milford/Black townships, 3.7 miles.

Chickentown Road, Somerset/Milford townships, 5.7 miles.

Gebhart Road, Milford Township, 2 miles.

Bando Road, Milford Township, 1 mile.

Coxes Creek Road, Lincoln Township, 6.4 miles.

Moonlight Park Road, Conemaugh Township, 2.9 miles.

Homer Church Road, Quemahoning Township, 3.5 miles.

Blacks Hill Road, Jenner Township, 1.8 miles.

Woodstown Highway, Conemaugh and Jenner township, 5.6 miles.

Also skin patching to seal cracks on about a dozen roads countywide.



Bridges:

Matlick Road, Route 2005, Summit Township, superstructure replacement.



Drakestown Road, Route 3003, Lower Turkeyfoot Township, superstructure replacement.

     

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