The Herald, Sharon, Pa.

Local News

June 25, 2008

Path’s anything but straight

Bikeway grant process confusing

By Joe Pinchot

SHENANGO VALLEY — If you think government is confusing, take heart. Sometimes, the people in the government also find it confusing.

Consider the Shenango Valley Bikeway project that is designed to connect Wheatland, Farrell, Sharpsville, Sharon and Hermitage, the four valley high schools, and Buhl Farm park, Hermitage.

PennDOT accepted bids last week for the project, but the agency’s Christine Boyer-Krantz said Mercer County Regional Council of Governments, which is the pass-through agency accepting federal and state grant money for the project, must award the bids.

COG’s Thomas R. Tulip said he didn’t know anything about that, and suggested Hermitage Community Planner Jeremy Coxe be contacted.

Tulip, who was not with COG when it agreed to accept the money some six or seven years ago, said the confusion is part and parcel of trying to coordinate efforts between five municipalities, a municipal entity — COG — and the state.

“It’s just one of those strange things, how the partnership was formed,” he said.

Coxe said it’s possible that Tulip will have the authority to award the bids, which still are being reviewed, or that a three-party contract between PennDOT, COG and the successful bidder will be signed.

A notice to proceed should be issued in early August, Coxe said.

PennDOT received six bids ranging from $426,445 to $791,000, Coxe said. The apparent low bidder is Combine Construction Inc., Sharon.

The municipalities received $513,000 in three separate grants for the project. Coxe said officials still have to work out who will inspect the work. It’s possible PennDOT will accept bids for inspection, or have PennDOT inspectors on the job.

Either way, officials believe the grant money will cover the entire cost, Coxe said.

The municipalities agreed to match the grants by paying for engineering, and hired Winslow Engineering Inc., Hermitage. Hermitage commissioners on Wednesday paid their share, $25,673. The other four municipalities already have paid their bills, Coxe said.

About two-thirds of the work will be done in Hermitage, the big ticket item being building sidewalks on the north side of Highland Road between Buhl Farm Drive and Richmond Avenue.

The rest of the work will include putting up signs, painting striping on pavement, installing bicycle-friendly storm sewer grates and some shoulder work, Coxe said.

The route technically starts on Broadway Avenue in Wheatland and winds through the municipalities and past their schools until ending on North Hermitage Road in Hermitage.

“It’s all within the existing street network,” Coxe said.

PennDOT will complete the route next year when it finishes the widening of Highland between Kerrwood Drive and North Hermitage Road.

Future sidewalk projects in Hermitage should give cyclists more options, Coxe said.

To cut down on the cost, Hermitage undertook a section of the original project on its own last summer, installing storm sewer pipe on the south side of Highland between Buhl Farm and Richmond.

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