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Bethel Township supervisors took action to advance the Monroe Creek bridge replacement project located on Camp Strause Road during a meeting on Thursday, Aug. 8.
Read More: Camp Strause began as a logging operation & favorite Boy Scout hangout
This comes a month after township officials confirmed ownership of Camp Strause Road with PennDOT, as the appropriate turnback paperwork was never filed in the late 1990s.
Read More: Bethel Twp. supervisors confirm bridge ownership, plan to replace superstructure
Supervisors unanimously approved three action items concerning the project.
Supervisors voted to approve preliminary design and cost estimates for Wilson Consulting Group at $577,835.30. Chairman Richard Rudy noted that figure includes a 10 percent contingency fee for the project.
In a related matter, supervisors approved a Wilson Consulting Group request for a time and material supplement invoice totaling $22,560.30. Rudy said these charges are for items not included in their lump sum contract, adding there was an unforeseen right-of-way issue.
A third action item concerning the bridge project will install warning flags informing of nearby electrical lines to ensure construction worker safety. The cost for the flags to mark the high tension electrical lines is $2,023.26 and will be paid to FirstEnergy to have their contractor install those warnings.
“Unbeknownst to us, there are electrical lines in close proximity or actually running right on top of the work area. Because of some construction laws, the contractors need to have the high tension lines, if you will, flagged. That was not figured into the (original) costs,” said Rudy. “We really don’t have a lot of choice at this point.”
In other business, supervisors voted to pay several construction and highway project invoices.
Supervisors approved an invoice with Bethel Township, Berks County, for a paving overlay project on Meyer Drive totaling $7,819.59. “We had .4 of a mile and we agreed to pave our section as well, so as part of that pavement overlay, we owe them,” said Rudy.
Supervisor and township roadmaster Michael Saphore said the final total is below the original estimate prior to the pavement invoice being unanimously approved for payment.
Supervisors also agreed to compensate Myerstown-based C.M. High for three traffic signal repair estimates for what Rudy told LebTown were damage caused by traffic accidents at those locations. All three projects were at intersections along Route 22 and total just under $9,400.
The locations and the estimated costs approved by supervisors are: East Main Street, $4,612.80; Legionnaire Drive, $1,977.27; and Blue Mountain Road, $2,805.45.
“We don’t have a lot of choice if we’re going to maintain this to PennDOT’s standards,” said Rudy about the estimated cost of repairs for the three damaged traffic signals.
An update was given on the future placement of no parking signs for snow removal. What’s needed is a list of street names where the signs will be placed. The list was requested, it was noted, because a township ordinance will have to be approved before the signs can be installed.
The township is currently reviewing its code of ordinances. The planning commission will review the code at their Aug. 20 meeting, but no action was required from the supervisors.
In other township business, supervisors unanimously voted to:
- Pay invoices for the following accounts and amounts: Street Light, $3,241.22; Park and Recreation, $7,402.89; General, $138,430.27.
- Approve Fredericksburg Fire Police special duty requests for two events in the month of September 2024: Hinkelfest, Sept. 13-15; Suicide Awareness Benefit, Sept. 21.
- Allow all three supervisors and township manager Melissa Johnson to attend the Lebanon County Municipal Officials Convention on Oct. 10.
- Accept the minutes of their July 11 meeting and the financial report.
The next scheduled monthly meeting of the Bethel Township Board of Supervisors is Sept. 12 at 7 p.m. at the township municipal building.
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