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State, city ready for projects to resume

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Road work, as seen from Market Street, is slated to continue on East Third Street near Basin Street after remaining dormant during the state shut-down.

Many state Department of Transportation construction projects, as well as city street projects, are set to restart on Monday with a number of major projects in the county, including the Route 220 safety project.

During the time of closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, PennDOT assembled a team that created a plan to resume construction activities as safely as possible according to Maggie Baker, community relations coordinator.

“The plan included guidelines for COVID-19 safety protocols and requires that each project have a specific COVID-19 safety plan,” Baker said.

Adam Winder, general manager of city streets and parks, said that this plan is also in place for all city construction.

In this case, both the city and PennDOT comply with Centers for Disease Control and state Department of Health guidelines, including practicing social distancing, wearing face coverings, following job site cleaning protocols and other training needed.

“It’s beneficial,” Winder said. “In a sense, it’s a good time for it to restart because with less traffic on the road, it is safer for these individuals working. But with the state opening up, it gets people back to work in safer environments.”

The $41 million, three-year, construction project along Route 220 will begin on Monday after a period of time without construction due to the pandemic and will be happening during off-peak hours in both Woodward and Piatt townships, according to a news release.

The project, contracted by Glenn O. Hawbaker Inc., is set to restart with the installation of erosion control measures and long-term traffic control devices in preparation for paving operations which are set to start in mid-May.

The overall project is set to be completed by this fall with the goal of providing a safer highway by reducing median openings and providing safer locations for U-turns.

Motorists traveling through the area can expect to see alternating lane closures.

Hawbaker is also the contractor for the East Third Street/Old City Gateway Revitalization project, which is also set to start either on or near Monday, according to Winder.

“The Gateway Project has been shut down for months now with no progress,” he said. “There is a COVID-19 plan and they will be able to have it (the project) wrapped up this construction season.”

Other construction in the city includes the West Fourth Street reconstruction project which will begin today between Arch Street and Oliver Avenue.

Wolyniec Construction Inc. will be installing base repairs in preparation for milling and paving of a fiber reinforcement layer, according to PennDOT.

There will be single lane closures using daylight flagging during construction. More will begin after Memorial Day on Foresman Street to Hillside Drive.

Winder added that there will be city street reconstruction, patching holes and paving done by Big Rocks Paving of Muncy, though no specific sections of city streets were identified at this time.

“City streets and parks will start patching holes again, now that the black top plant is open,” he said. “It helps because that’s less damage to people’s cars.”

The tentative date for patching to begin is Monday.

Motorists driving through the Hughesville Borough should look out for an intersection project happening in the borough and Wolf Township on routes 220 and 405.

There will be a flashing traffic signal in place from Tuesday through May 12 as well as a truck detour.

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