Mercer County Regional Planning Commission, Hermitage, Pennsylvania

 

Mercer County Transportation Planning

Mercer County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)

2005 MPO Meeting Minutes

SHENANGO VALLEY METROPOLITAN
PLANNING ORGANIZATION COORDINATING/TECHNICAL COMMITTEE
 Thursday, April 28, 2005
1:30 P.M. - MCRPC Offices, Hermitage, PA

PERSONS PRESENT REPRESENTING

  • Marcia Hirschmann Hermitage City

  • Daniel Gracenin MCRPC

  • Dave Ryan Mayor - Sharon City

  • Mike Wilson Sharpsville Borough

  • Don Hall PennDOT

  • Dave Bollebacher PennDOT, Mercer

  • Erin Wiley PennDOT, District 1-0

  • Deborah Schreckengost PennDOT, District 1-0

  • Bill Petit PennDOT, District 1-0

  • Mark Miller Mercer County

  • Robert Davis Wheatland Borough

  • LaVon Saternow Farrell City

  • Tom Paxton Pine Township

  • Pete Longiotti Greenville Borough

  • Vance Oakes Greenville Borough

  • Ron Faull Liberty Township

  • Kathleen Rodi Eastgate Regional COG

  • Mirta Reyes-Chapman Eastgate Regional COG

  • David George West Middlesex Borough

  • Ken Seamans Wilmington Township

  • Margaret Tetuan Senator Santorum

  • Denise L. Anthony Senator Robbins

  • Pat Turner Representative Rod Wilt

  • Michele Brooks Mercer County

  • Robert McGhee Coolspring Township

  • Mike Nashtock South Pymatuning Township

  • Jeremy Coxe MCRPC

  • Tom Tulip Mercer County Regional COG

  • Bill Jones Mercer County Regional COG

CALL TO ORDER

Ms. Hirschmann called the meeting to order at 1:30 P.M.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF MEETING FEBRUARY 15, 2005

Ms. Hirschmann asked for any additions, deletions, or corrections to the Minutes of the February 15, 2005 meeting. There being none, Ms. Hirschmann asked for a motion to approve. Mr. Seamans so moved, Mr. George seconded. The motion passed.

APPROVAL OF AIR QUALITY DOCUMENTATION – NEW 8-HOUR STANDARD

Mr. Gracenin explained that the Air Quality Documentation is currently out for public review, with a 30-day comment period. This documentation would certify that we are in conformity of the Long Range Plan and TIP in accordance with the Clean Air Act requirements. The prior air quality conformity was based on the 1 hour standard, but EPA now requires that we run through air quality conformity based on the new 8 hour standard. A public hearing regarding the air quality documentation is scheduled for May 12, 2005. He explained that since our public review/comment period is after today’s meeting, he has requested through PennDOT that we seek approval today, pending no negative comments on the documentation at the public hearing. A motion was made by Mr. Tulip, contingent upon the approval of PennDOT, to approve the Air Quality Documentation based on the new 8 hour standard and pending no negative comments at the public hearing regarding the documentation. Mr. George seconded. The motion passed.

APPROVAL OF AIR QUALITY RESOLUTION

Mr. Gracenin explained that this resolution basically states that we are following the rules and regulations in the development of our TIP, and we are not harming the air quality in Mercer County and are trying to improve it through the TIP projects in place. A public hearing regarding the air quality resolution is scheduled for May 12, 2005. He explained that since our public review/comment period is after today’s meeting, he has requested through PennDOT that we seek approval today, pending no negative comments on the air quality resolution at the public hearing. There being no discussion, a motion was made by Mr. George, contingent upon the approval of PennDOT, to approve the Air Quality Resolution, pending no negative comments on the air quality resolution at the public hearing. Mr. Seamans seconded. The motion passed.

OTHER BUSINESS

Mr. Gracenin explained that we are currently getting ready to start the TIP update process by the end of this summer. A roundtable discussion will be held with all of the municipalities and MPO members to discuss potentially new projects to add to the TIP. The State Transportation Commission Hearing for our region is scheduled for September 22, 2005 in Erie, PA. He stated that at the roundtable discussion, he will try to get a list of those individuals to speak at the STC Hearing who have a project that they want to support. They would be given 5 minutes to present their project and state why they need it and why they feel it should be funded. Also, you can fill out an electronic application, which is supporting a project, and they would consider that the same way as if you would have presented it verbally. He noted that at the next MPO meeting in August we will be discussing new projects, existing projects and getting possible speakers for the STC Hearing.

Mr. Gracenin next stated that since he is now the Executive Director and has taken on more responsibilities in the office, Mr. Jeremy Coxe will now be taking over the daily work activities for the MPO.

DISCUSSION AND APPROVAL OF ADDITIONAL 2005/2006 TIP FUNDING

Mr. Petit from PennDOT explained that Mercer County received an additional $7,394,000 for 2005-2006 from Federal and State monies because of actual allocations in the federal budget and the imposition of a new gas tax. He noted that PennDOT would recommend spending the money on the following projects: 1) Repave East State Street in Sharon between Forker Boulevard and Sharpsville Avenue with an estimated cost of $500,000. 2) Install drains along Route 60 between Route 18 in Shenango Township to the Lawrence County line with an estimated cost of $2 million. He noted that last summer PennDOT spent $4 million to repave this section of road and did not realize another problem existed. PennDOT officials noticed water bleeding up through the surface and stripping off the top layer of pavement. PennDOT stated that the road will continue to deteriorate, unless something is done. 3) Install waterproof, geotextile membranes on 33 bridges and resurface the bridges to prevent water from dripping onto the bridge support beams, causing them to rot. Estimated cost for this project would roughly be $1.25 million. PennDOT is looking for ways to extend the life of bridges by 20-30 years, because replacing them is very expensive. 4) Add $1.5 million to the $4 million project already set aside to replace the two-lane bridges with six-lane bridges on Route 208 over I-79 in Springfield Township. 5) Add $500,000 to the $650,000 already set aside for the Greenville streetscape (enhancement) project. Apparently, two rounds of bids came in higher than anticipated and had to be rejected due to lack of funds and for other reasons. The remaining money would be put in reserve so it could be available for other projects, as they would be identified. After some brief discussion, a motion was made by Mr. George to approve these PennDOT recommendations. Mr. Paxton seconded. The motion passed.

ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned at 2:20 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted,

Daniel M. Gracenin,
MPO Secretary

 

Mercer County Regional Planning Commission
2491 Highland Road, Hermitage, PA 16148
[email protected]    www.mcrpc.com

 

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