No contractor yet for Waynesboro Center Square project

September 22, 2008|By JENNIFER FITCH

WAYNESBORO, Pa. - Construction contracts for reconfiguring Center Square in Waynesboro have yet to be awarded.

The two bids opened Aug. 28 came in at $2.8 million and $3.2 million, about a million dollars more than estimated. But Pennsylvania Department of Transportation officials say the delay in awarding bids is not atypical, as they must be reviewed to ensure all components of the project are addressed.

The corners of sidewalks at Center Square will be "bumped out" so they extend farther into the intersection. The square will be tightened so it resembles a traditional intersection, rather than today's larger version with double sets of signals.

In addition to changes at Center Square, the work in 2009 will include the synchronization of traffic lights:

o West Main and Grant streets

o West Main and Potomac streets

o Main and Church streets

o East Main and Broad streets

o East Main Street and Clayton Avenue

o East Main Street and Roadside Avenue/Virginia Avenue

o East Main Street and Mickley Avenue/East Second Street

o South Potomac Street and West Third Street

o Pa. 16 and Welty Road

Synchronizing the traffic lights means they will be connected to a central computer, which will use data gathered from sensors under the pavement.

"It's in response to traffic volume. It's not set up on a timer set to certain times of the day," said Mike Lapano, project manager with PennDOT.

Most, if not all, intersections will have countdown timers to show pedestrians the remaining time they have to cross the street. The intersection of Pa. 16 and Welty Road will have audible signals for pedestrians.

The only intersection in which traffic will stop completely for pedestrians is at Center Square - Main and Church streets.

"The rest of the intersections will have traffic moving with pedestrians," Lapano said.

He said that in addition to the crosswalks at Main and Church streets, midblock crosswalks will be created on both sides of the square. The sidewalks and crosswalks around Center Square will have some type of brick pattern.

The chosen contractor can decide whether to attempt some early parts of the work late this year, Lapano and PennDOT spokesman Greg Penny said.

PennDOT sought bids in an atypical way, providing contractors with conceptual plans that allow them to design-build the project.

"There are final design aspects that his (sub)contractors and engineer need to do before full-blown construction," Lapano said.

Also, Victorian-style poles have been specially ordered to give the contractor a jump-start on work.

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