Township Annual Report - 2007 - Lower Providence Township

Department ofp u b l i c w o r k sThe Public Works Department continued its commitmentto upgrading the overall rating of Township roads and duringthe past two years has been able to pave all or part of 73roads.Utilizing a $4 million PA InfrastructureBank Loan, the Township took on thisambitious road paving schedule to stayahead of rising materials costs.The loan is fully funded by the Township’s annual Liquid Fuelsallocation. Also during 2007, a number of new roads werededicated: The Public Works Department is now responsiblefor the maintenance of approximately 90 miles of Townshiproadways.In 2007, a new garage was added to the Public Works facilityon Church Road. The building, along with the addition ofhydraulic lifts, will allow the mechanics to better maintainthe Township’s vehicles and equipment, and will increase thenumber of repairs that can be completed in-house. Otherimprovements to the Public Works facility include theenclosure of the brining operation (the brine mixture is usedto treat roads in advance of snow and ice storms); the additionof fencing to serve as buffer between the garage and EskiePark; the installation of a security gate, and the repaving of theparking lot.During the year, the Department also completed facilityupgrades to the Township Administration Building, the PoliceStation, and assisted with renovations to the historic ShoemakerHouse.An ongoing effort to improve safety conditions on NorthGrange Avenue came to a completion in 2007. The Board ofSupervisors approved the recommendations of the Township’straffic engineer and the safety improvements includedsignage, flexible reflector posts, guide rail delineators, andraised pavement markers. In addition, two trees along theembankment were removed, the guide rail was extended inone area and a 1 ½” pavement overlay was added from thebeginning of the snake bend to approximately 200 feet northof Old Baptist Road.The Public Works Department remains dedicated to providingthe Lower Providence Community with exceptional service.Additional responsibilities of the department include:• Brining, salting, and snow removal operations• Maintenance of traffic lights and street lights• Street sweeping• Replacement of warning, regulatory and informational signs• Storm inlet repair• Administration of the Township trash contract to ensureefficient solid waste collectionResidents are invited to visit the Public Works page at the LowerProvidence Township website, www.lowerprovidence.org,State Road & Bridge Safety AwardDavid Shaffer, Public Works Director, fifth from left, accepts the award recognizing Lower Providence’s work with West NorritonTownship to implement a closed-loop traffic signal system on Ridge Pike. Participating in the presentation are SupervisorChristopher DiPaolo; Manager Joseph Dunbar; Supervisors Marie Altieri and Rick Brown; Police Chief Bud Carroll; JasonWagner, PA Highway Information Association; Supervisor Piero Sassu; Ken Grimes, PSATS; Supervisor Craig Dininny, andJames Ritzman, PennDOT.16l o w e r p r o v i d e n c e t o w n s h i p