BROCKWAY, Pa. (EYT) – For the past few months, the Brockway Borough Council has been hearing from businesses near the intersection by Sheetz along Route 219.
The business owners were first concerned by a drawing with the intersection superimposed over a Google Maps image. That was just an image to give a general idea of what the project could be, but not a final proposal. Complicating matters was an initial lack of information from State Sen. Joe Scarnati’s office about the scope of the project or how much it would cost the borough. Scarnati has since issued a statement that the project will not cost the borough any money, but the borough needs to agree to it. The borough has asked for an extension to that deadline.
A mock-up of an intersection along 219 in Brockway. The map is not an official design and is more of a place-holder until engineers get a chance to study the project.
The borough council met with PennDOT in a meeting that Council President Chris “Smoke” Benson characterized as “productive,” but there are still a lot of questions that the council wants answered. One sticking point is what happens if the council decides that the project does not work. Will the borough be on the hook for the money spent up to that point? Benson said that the council is planning on setting up another meeting soon to get more information.
The project is still in its infancy. It will need multiple phases before it even goes to construction, and one of those phases would involve community input about possible designs. If the business owners feel that it will harm their business, the council wants to know if they can pull out even though money has already been spent.
“We still have some questions we need answered,” Benson said. “The borough is not for or against anything at this time. We just have questions we need answered so we can make an educated decision about this project.”
A business owner cautioned the council about just taking money, saying that the council needs to make sure there is a clear benefit to the community.
“I’m not against anything or for anything,” Councilman Mike Martino reiterated. “I don’t quite know what I would be voting for. That’s why we’re having these meetings.”
The goal of the council, according to Benson, is to make sure they have all the information. If they tell the senator’s office no now, before they know all the information, they could be passing up something that could genuinely help the community. However, if there is not a way to design the intersection so that it does not impact the businesses there, then the borough should have the right to back out.
Benson said that he hopes the meetings with PennDOT and other involved agencies can be scheduled soon.
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