Bids for turning lane for Rt. 52 onto Pocopson Road being delayed by PECO
By Kelli Siehl, Staff Writer, UnionvilleTimes.com
Although Pocopson Township Supervisors have long anted to add a turning lane to Rt. 52 at Pocopson Road, the lack of information regarding the move of utility poles is holding up the project.
POCOPSON — The cost of moving a utility pole is the sole item holding up the re-bid package for the Lenape Road (Route 52) and Pocopson Road intersection improvement project, township supervisors say.
During Monday’s Township Board of Supervisors’ meeting, the board’s Vice-Chair, Georgia Brutscher asked the township to send a letter to Traffic Planning and Design because “they should be pushing to get these numbers so the project can move forward.”
Brutscher said the bid package has been prepared but the price to move the utility pole has not yet been disclosed by PECO. Supervisors said the cost depends upon the number of utilities using the pole — the more utilities that have to be relocated, the greater the cost.
The original bid package for the project went out weeks ago and three bids were received and reviewed during a May 3 meeting. Brutscher said the supervisors voted to reject the bids and revise bid and contract documents based upon recommendations by technical consultants for the township, “because the bids received at the last meeting were astronomically high and we could not afford it.”
Supervisors approved paying additional funds to Traffic Planning and Design to revise the bid and contract document into three separate projects: intersection improvements, sewer force main and conduit and junction box work.
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Supervisor Ricki Stumpo recently attended the Brandywine Battlefield Project meeting and told residents that “Pocopson Township is the keystone of the proposed trail system.” The workshop outlined the ongoing federally funded project to establish a walking and biking trail. Stumpo said the township will be able to reference their standing in the plan when applying for grants.
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The Locust Grove Schoolhouse will be highlighted at this year’s Founder’s Day celebration. Residents are encouraged to visit the historic structure and will be able to access the property by a mowed hiking trail from Locust Grove Park or may drive and park in the newly completed lot.
The Locust Grove Schoolhouse was established in the community in 1865 and has been providing education to the residents of the Township for more than fifty years.
The Schoolhouse property was purchased by the Township in 2004 on behalf of the Historical Committee. For more information, visit the Pocopson Township Historical Committee page at www.pocopson.org.
