Swatara Township turns to oil and chip treatment as paving costs rise

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The Swatara Township Board of Supervisors unanimously agreed to seek bids for the 2026 paving project (oil and chip) during its monthly meeting March 12.

Supervisors requested bids for double oil and chip treatment on Greble, Shirksville, and Pine Meadow roads.

Supervisor Dean Patches, who ran the meeting Thursday in the absence of chairman Rick Kreitzer, said that if more funding were available, the township would look to pave Greble Road. However, he said, paving and oil and chip prices have increased each year.

“We have been looking, along with a lot of other townships, to oil and chip instead of paving because the dollars just don’t stretch very far,” said Patches.

This year, the township received $206,000 in liquid fuel funds (distributed from the state to assist with road maintenance) and $44,800 in Turnback funds (from gaining ownership of previously state-owned local roads). The oil and chip project is expected to cost around $212,000, though bids may differ.

Next year, the township plans to pave Airport Road, Fortna Road, and Township Line Drive, which is expected to use the year’s full allotment of liquid fuels funding. The township also needs to repair the Lancaster Street Bridge, for which supervisors agreed to ask their engineer for a cost estimate.

The road crew reported that Werner Road is in need of around $100,000 in base repairs, Patches said, and they asked if the township would consider paying for the repair out of the general fund to avoid the damage getting worse and incurring more expenses. Patches said the project cannot be handled in-house due to the extent of damage, which spans the entire width of the road for around 1,000 feet.

Patches said that Werner also needs paved, which he expects to consume half of the township’s yearly allotment of state funding.

A decision was not made Thursday, as supervisors plan to revisit the topic when Kreitzer is present and the township has received bids for this year’s repair project.

In other news, supervisors:

• Unanimously agreed to renegotiate the franchise agreement with Comcast through Cohen Law Group for $9,265 (a discounted rate due to the participation of at least five other Lebanon County municipalities). The township receives over $40,000 annually from the existing franchise agreement.
• Unanimously approved 10 waiver requests as recommended by the planning commission for the Arlin Steiner ag operation (off Troy Avenue and Kenbrook Road), which is making changes to its barn lot layout and stormwater.
• Unanimously approved a stormwater waiver request from a Hennick Construction project on Darkes Road, as recommended by the planning commission. Due to the topography of the site, a representative of the developer said, only 90% of new impervious surfaces are collected to a rain garden on site, as 10% of new impervious surfaces are within the public right-of-way.
• Unanimously approved the John Light family ag operation land development plan on North Lancaster Street, which adds two barns.
• Unanimously approved to purchase 600 tons of salt for 2026-2027.
• Unanimously agreed to spend up to the budgeted amount on tire collection from residents, with the Lebanon County Conservation District holding tire collection April 29.
• Unanimously approved a field request from Northern Lebanon Soccer.
• Unanimously agreed to pass an update to the subdivision and land development ordinance, which Patches said was routine and administrative.
• Unanimously approved the placement of a temporary post against a tree in Mill Street Park for Wellspan Health/Lebanon County Library’s summer reading program.
• Unanimously approved Tomlinson Bomberger’s quote for roadside spraying, not to exceed $2,000.
• Unanimously approved minutes and reviewed reports.

The Swatara Township Board of Supervisors will have its next regular meeting at 7 p.m. April 9 at 68 Supervisors Drive.