If you have driven downtown lately in York, you have experienced the traffic tie-ups on North George Street during ongoing water main replacement.
Some people have arrived at the courthouse in tears because they were running 10 to 15 minutes late for a proceeding, York County Court of Common Pleas Judge Kathleen J. Prendergast said.
In addition to the traffic tie-ups, it's difficult to find parking because spaces are being taken away for the work, she said. Judges are trying to be flexible, but they are limited because of the schedule.
At this point, the water main work should be finished within a few weeks, according to the York Water Company.
More: Road work unearths early-1800s wooden water pipe in York
More: It's Restaurant Week in York
Chef Sean Arnold, owner of The Left Bank, said in a statement that he has seen some frustration from customers because of the disruption from the construction, but he's eager to have everything completed quickly and to have improved infrastructure and roadways.
"We’ve considered having a Lionel Richie dancing in the streets celebration once everything is done," he said. "Mark your calendars.”
In the meantime, plan ahead.
Prendergast said she would advise people to plan an extra half hour to arrive on time at their destination in downtown York.
Why the George Street work will extend to mid-March
The York Water Company started replacing its water main underneath George Street last year. The work was expected to be finished by the end of 2019.
But crews ran into problems — unknown underground utilities and some inclement weather — that have extended the timeline for finishing the job. It's now expected to take until mid-March, according to Molly Norton, a spokeswoman for York Water.
Mayor Michael Helfrich and JT Hand, chief operating officer for the York Water Company, discussed the work during a Facebook Live video last week.
The water main is on the bottom — underneath other utilities, such as electric, gas and wastewater, Norton said.
Unknown ones also exist underground, Helfrich said.
For the excavation, crews can't just use a backhoe to dig down to the water main. They have to wet the soil and then vacuum it up to expose the known and unknown utilities, Hand said.
If workers would hit another utility line, they would risk being injured and disrupting service to customers, Hand said.
In addition, they also have to work around the utility lines to install the new water main.
That's why the work cannot be done at night.
"It's too dangerous to do everything at night," Norton said.
More: Wrightsville-Columbia bridge: What are the plans for rehabbing the 90-year-old span?
More: Watch out! Speed through a Pa. work zone, and you'll be ticketed, thanks to cameras
Market Street garage work
Meanwhile, one entrance to the Market Street garage will be closed on Wednesday.
That's because Met-Ed will be doing electrical work in the area. The westbound entrance to the Market Street garage (the one that can be accessed from Duke Street) will be closed from 9:30 a.m. to about 4 p.m., according to the City of York.
Met-Ed originally wanted to do the work earlier, but the city asked the company to change the day, said Philip Given, a spokesman for the City of York.
The city does not have control over the work that utilities do and the timing, Given said.
George Street improvement coming
The utility work is being done ahead of a major improvement project on George Street between Parkway Boulevard and the Country Club/Rathton Road area.
The more than $3 million project includes repaving the thoroughfare, making it one lane in each direction with turning lanes and creating a safer passage for pedestrians and bicyclists.
The project had been expected to start this year, but the timeline has been pushed back.
The city is waiting for utilities to do work on streets that intersect George before making improvements to the main north/south thoroughfare, said Chaz Green, director of public works for the city.
In addition, the city is still working on its plans for the improvements on George Street. It's still trying to determine, for example, whether right-of-way will need to be taken at the intersection near the courthouse.
The project will address pedestrian safety, too. For example, a pedestrian signal, similar to one on Philadelphia Street near Central Market, will be installed in the area of Boundary Avenue and George Street.
"We want to make sure we can get everything completed," Green said.
The city expects to seek bids at the end of next year. Construction would start in 2022.
"street" - Google News
February 26, 2020 at 10:16PM
https://ift.tt/3c8QhBL
Headaches on York's George Street: Here's how the work is going, how long it might last - York Daily Record
"street" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2Ql4mmJ
Shoes Man Tutorial
Pos News Update
Meme Update
Korean Entertainment News
Japan News Update
No comments:
Post a Comment