Falls Township roads and school zones are on target for improvements in the coming months.
During Monday night’s Falls Supervisors meeting, the board unanimously greenlighted the annual road program, which calls for the full-depth reconstruction of just over half of Willow Drive. In addition, mill and overlay work will be done on North and South Olds and Cabot boulevards, as well as Lynn Avenue, First and Second streets, and Mill Creek Road from Route 13 to the end.
The project was awarded to James D. Morrissey Inc. in the amount of $3,664,133.12. The mill and overlay work was bid as alternate because of the “volatile asphalt index,” Township Engineer Joe Jones told the board.
The road work is one of this year’s budgeted capital projects. While the project came in slightly over budget, Jones told the board the quote for the lowest responsile bidder was still reasonable, noting that the alternate portion of the project was “definitely needing the work.”
In other business, the board unanimously voted to contract with Remington & Vernick Engineers to undertake an analysis of the township’s school zones and then develop standardized signing and striping plans using current PennDOT guidelines.
“A lot of the school zones in Falls Township need updating,” Supervisors Chairman Jeff Dence said.
As part of the three-month-long project, Remington & Vernick Engineers will collect a series of measurements, photos, and videos. The existing school-related signing and markings will be noted, an inventory of existing signs will be taken, and the overall condition of existing pavement markings will be noted. A full sign inventory will be completed with a full GIS-based mapping of the locations, types, and conditions of signs within the public right-of-way. Based on current PennDOT records, Falls has a total of nine active permits for school zones. The engineers will review each of those permit locations and will coordinate with Falls Township Police Department and Department of Public Works to identify any other school zone locations.
The cost for the school zone analysis and standardized signing and striping plans is a not to exceed fee of $19,250.
Depending on the outcome of Remington & Vernick’s review, Township Manager John Shepherd said Falls may be able to seek grants.
