The Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance has included 19 bridges and 13 other road and intersection projects on its priority list of potential projects in its draft of a long-range transportation plan.
NEPA held a public meeting to provide an overview of the plan and hear comments Wednesday at the county courthouse. Serving as the Metropolitan Planning Organization for Carbon, Schuylkill, Monroe and Pike counties since 2013, the long-range transportation plan is the first for the region and extends to 2040. The plan identifies the major transportation projects, programs and policies needed for the next 25 years and will be updated at least every five years.
According to NEPA, 53 percent, or 2,500 lane miles, of highways in the MPO region are in fair or poor condition while 22 percent, or 228, of state-owned bridges are structurally deficient and 48 percent, or 136, of locally owned bridges are structurally deficient.
The state Department of Transportation has also updated its 12-year plan of programmed funding for 2015 through 2026. Over the next 12 years, $226,293567 in federal and state funding has been programmed for projects in Schuylkill County; $61,761,010 in the first four years; $89,001,396 in the second four years; and $75,531,161 for the third four years.
Some of the more extensive projects include repaving Route 61 between Saint Clair and Frackville, an area known as the Frackville grade, improvements on Route 61 between Schuylkill Haven and Orwigsburg, and renovations on Route 924 between Frackville and Shenandoah.
Unfunded, potential projects starting in 2027 were prioritized using criteria based on benefit and cost estimates.
Twenty-two bridges in Schuylkill County are included on the list of 50 potential bridge projects in the MPO. Thirteen other road and intersections in the county are on a list of 44 other prioritized projects.
There are also targeted improvements for the Route 309 and Route 209 corridors in the county.
The 30-day public review and comment period ends Friday. Comments can also be submitted online. The final plan will be adopted March 15. The full plan is available online at www.nepa-alliance.org.