Meeting planned for bridge replacement

By Mary Grzebieniak

One supervisor said PennDOT has not given the township specifics about the project.

HILLSVILLE, Pa. — Mahoning Township supervisors are urging residents to attend an upcoming meeting on replacement of a U.S. Route 224 bridge and voice their opinions before plans are finalized.

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has set the public meeting from 5 to 7 p.m. July 29 at the Mahoning Township Community Center on plans to replace the bridge over the Mahoning River. The bridge is a major artery from most of the township to the city of New Castle.

A meeting for public officials will precede the public meeting from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Supervisor Poncho Exposito said at the supervisors’ meeting earlier this week that the township has not been provided with specifics about detours, the size of the bridge, whether it will include turning lanes or date of construction.

Supervisors previously had expressed concern about a long closing with inadequate detours and had said the bridge should be kept at least partly open as long as possible.

Also, Supervisor Chairman Gary Pezzuolo announced that Covert’s Crossing will be closed for five to seven days beginning June 26 for repairs to the CSX railroad tracks on the north side of that bridge.

In addition, supervisors announced that Main Street will be closed at least five days next week in order to remove railroad tracks.

In response to a request by Karen Matsukas, president of the Mohawk Area Soccer Club, supervisors agreed to allow the club to develop an under-12 field in the space next to the playground equipment at the Elizabeth Birdsell Park on Main Street. The township maintains the park where the club already has an under-10 soccer field.

The club will use dirt from the Mohawk Schools construction project to construct the field. Supervisors approved their plan as long as they don’t make ruts in the park.

Supervisors also approved engineering services and design agreements with RAR Engineering, New Castle, for the planned Edinburg sanitary sewer line. They announced that work has started on the sewer plant along the river in Edinburg which is part of that project.