The Hawkins sisters, from left, Ann McNulty, Ellen Flemma and Jane Peterson, look over a map showing PennDOT plans to take seven prime acres from the family's 90-year-old family farm in Middlesex Township.

MIDDLESEX TWP — While the Hawkins farm at Route 228 and Harbison Road is an agricultural security area, the delineation cannot stop the state Department of Transportation from taking part of the farm to widen Route 228.

That’s the understanding of the Hawkins siblings, who own the family farm.

Jane Hawkins Peterson explained that her late father, Matt Hawkins, got the agricultural security designation to prevent his neighbors from complaining about the manure that was generated on the farm.

When they learned that PennDOT planned to take about one quarter of their farm’s usable land in the Ball’s Bend project to straighten and widen Route 228 from Route 8 to Quality Gardens, the siblings thought the agricultural security designation might prevent the taking of their land for the project.

But the family learned that, according to state regulations, those whose property is in an agricultural security zone and is being taken by a road construction project can request a review by a board composed of state Department of Agriculture representatives.

But the regulations state that a road project meant to straighten curves or improve safety cannot be affected by an agricultural security area, said Liz Hawkins McMeekin.

Also, McMeekin said, PennDOT decides whether a case should go before the board.

“If you notice, every time PennDOT talks about this project, they clearly state ‘we are straightening these curves,’” McMeekin said.

Peterson said she is frustrated that the farm cannot be preserved through its agricultural security zone status.

“Everyone keeps talking about preserving farmland, but then people don’t seem to care when farms are threatened,” she said.

Chad Mosco, a PennDOT design manager working on the Ball’s Bend project, said he is not aware of the Hawkins farm being part of a farmland or agricultural program.

However, the Hawkins farm is registered at the township building as an agricultural security zone.

PennDOT officials announced on March 26 that they had decided to put the $20 million Ball’s Bend project on hold, and that they would work with the township supervisors regarding plans for the section of highway.

The project would have straightened three sweeping curves and severely affected several properties on Allemande Lane off Harbison Road.

PennDOT has not indicated when additional action on the project could be taken.