There isn't room for more miscommunication regarding the Monroe Street Bridge replacement project. If the project isn't completed within the required timetable, federal and state funds could be lost.

Motorists who use that deteriorated span couldn't have been happy to hear that miscommunication apparently has occurred during the project planning. That miscommunication was said to involve the state Department of Transportation and Gateway Engineers, the project engineer.

Regardless of who is most at fault, or whether or not both are at fault, it is to be hoped that all miscommunication has been resolved and that the effort can move forward to replace the 87-year-old span. Actually, there is no room for any more problems with the project.

The city is working on a 13-month project timetable to avoid loss of funds. The project has been said to be an 18-month endeavor.

Even if the state and feds would not actually pull back project funding if a good-faith effort were under way to complete the new bridge on time, it is troubling that the project evolved into such a race for time.

City officials must pay close attention to developments related to the bridge replacement from now on so they can respond quickly if any other problems arise.

But it's safe to conclude that the city should not be facing such concerns over a project of such importance. The bridge is a major traffic conduit for vehicles traveling to and from the South Side, and an important asset regarding emergency vehicles' response to calls for assistance.

There must be no more bad news about the project.

Unlike the Butler Area Sewer Authority's rocky dealings with the state Department of Environmental Protection over the past couple of years, Winfield Township continues to move toward DEP approval of an updated sewage plan, apparently without any major disagreements standing in the way of that OK.Winfield officials have had to address 20 deficiencies noted by the DEP, but none of those deficiencies has erected a major roadblock in the process of preparing the revised plan for final DEP action. It's important to note that without the DEP having handed down an official order, the township is not facing a specific deadline tied to its work, unlike BASA, which has been dogged by DEP deadline requirements, some of which it has failed to meet.Regarding Winfield's update, Tom Hartwig of the Sewickley firm Malcolm Pirnie, the township engineer, said much of the information DEP has requested simply involved repositioning of data within the document, although it would seem organization of data should have been accomplished correctly from the start. Among the items DEP sought was identification of homes to be tied into Winfield's system, a stand-alone environmental report and a stream survey — all significant, obvious items that should not have been left out initially.Some people familiar with Winfield's past changes in thinking about which way to proceed with sanitary sewer compliance might suspect the number of deficiencies in the updating process to be indicative of a township desire to "move slowly" regarding that compliance.However, the township must be given the benefit of the doubt; many municipal plans requiring state review end up needing revisions and additional information as determined by state reviewers.Winfield's task is to assure the state that the township isn't stalling.At this time, it would be wrong to give the township a jeer. However, it is to be hoped that progress on the update will move forward without further delays.

State Rep. Babette Josephs, D-Phila., who chairs the House State Government Committee, merits positive notice for a reminder that could head off inconvenience and frustration for many new voters during the April 22 primary election.That reminder is that new voters must bring identification with them to the polls. If they don't, they won't be able to vote.Those first-time voters without identification will have the opportunity to get their identification and return to their polling place. However, with voter lines expected to be longer than usual, as a result of the Democratic presidential nomination contest, the prospect of having to wait in a long line twice, because of the missing identification, could keep some people who are pressed for time from voting.Some people enjoy the opportunity to chat with neighbors and other acquantances while waiting to vote. For new voters, waiting twice because of documentation issues could make the process an unfortunate turnoff.The interest enveloping the race between Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama has led to what state officials are describing as an avalanche of registrations by first-time voters. An avalanche of confusion and frustration should not distract from what the election is all about.