PINE GROVE TOWNSHIP SUPERVISORS
175 OAK GROVE ROAD, PINE GROVE, PA 17963
FEBRUARY 2, 2005 SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES
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Special meeting of the Board of Supervisors for the purpose
of discussing turning over Brookside Road to the State.
Attending: Supervisors Larry Zimmerman, Diane Tobin, Allen Aungst and Herm Clemens,
members of the public, list on file.
Chairman Zimmerman called the February 2, 2005 special meeting to order at 6:04 PM with
the Pledge of Allegiance.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Larry Barr read a statement to the board saying the township and borough should insist the
state address the problem by funneling traffic onto highways that are designed to handle
trucks - interstates. Barr said weight and width limits should be instituted and strictly
enforced to discourage overweight trucks from destroying our roads. Barr added that the
Borough has no control over traffic on Routes 50l, 895 and 443. A copy of Barr’s statement
is on file in the Township.
Koontz wanted to know if we are turning the road over at the request of the Borough to
alleviate the truck traffic in the borough. Zimmerman stated a lot of complaints are coming
from Chickentown because the trucks cannot make the turns. Zimmerman added that Tim
Holden called a meeting last Wednesday about the
problem.
Dave Gassert stated the trucks couldn’t make it around 645. Supervisors should consider
an ordinance to stop the trucks.
Tobin explained that a meeting was set up at the request of Tim Holden with the Borough,
the Supervisors, Bob Allen and Bill Hanley to tell us there was grant money available and
how they would like to use the grant money. Tobin said tonight’s special meeting is being
held to see if we would agree to turn ownership of Brookside Road over to the state and this
decision must be made by Friday
morning.
Aungst stated part of the problem is tying up traffic on Main Street at Route 895.
Several individuals asked about a signed petition from the Marstown residents that they had
heard about. Aungst stated there was supposed to be a petition signed and given to the
borough years ago, per Mrs. Hardenstein, but the petition cannot be found.
John Heinbach asked about the cost of the project and Zimmerman stated Tim Holden is not
giving us any money, nothing comes out of the township funds; the State is getting the
grant. Brian Harwick stated money would be better spent fixing the road through Marstown
up to the Borough and possibly making proper turning lanes at 895 and 443. Tobin stated
that solution had been considered. Aungst said he thinks it would alleviate some of the
problem in Chickentown but not on the main street in Pine Grove.
Dave Gassert stated it is not going to alleviate any problem in Chickentown unless you turn
Brookside road into a state road and make all the trucks turn at 895 and 50l and bring them
up 501 across Brookside and then into town.
Zimmerman said if the bridge gets turned over to the Borough a weight restriction can be
done to eliminate the trucks. Zimmerman said this question has come up numerous times,
but the area is zoned industrial and if you stop the trucks from running on the only road to
the industrial section, it goes against everything that the township has decided in the past.
Clemens said Tobin pointed out that the bridge is a choke point and even if you took out the
bridge all it would do is just speed things up. Clemens added that if the Borough would have
bought the railroad bed years ago, coming in from 895 they could have made a by-pass all
the way out to 443.
Tobin said at the meeting they had with the Borough she asked “if we decide to turn the
road over and they widen the road and bring it up to PennDOT’s code; what are they going
to do with the bridge”. Tobin said Holden called before tonight’s meeting with an answer and
said PennDOT believes the bridge will take the weight and there was no money for a by-
pass.
Aungst stated there is no question the bridge is a safety aspect, it’s going to increase traffic
across that bridge.
Tobin said after we talked about the bridge, Bob Allen, Bill Hanley, Jerry Wise and others
involved met at the bridge, they were made aware after the meeting of exactly what we were
talking about.
Clemens moved to reject the offer from PennDOT to take over Brookside Road in Pine
Grove Township, Tobin seconded the motion, all were in favor and motion carried 4 to 0.
Clemens added there are other things to look at but the state doesn’t want to change things.
Larry Barr said if there is funding available the only solution to the problem is a by-pass and
Zimmerman agreed. Aungst stated they were pretty certain they were not going to build a
by-pass. Tobin would like to suggest in our letter in response to Tim Holden, we add some
of the suggestions for putting the funds into repair or fixing of Route 895.
ADJOURNMENT
Zimmerman made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 6: 45 PM, Clemens seconded the
motion, all were in favor and motion carried 4 to 0.