ADAMS TWP — Supervisors Monday night announced progress on the turn back of Three Degree Road from PennDOT to the township.

After a few months of working behind closed doors with the state, the township believes things seem to be rolling in a good direction. An agreement has been reached by both parties, supervisor chairman Russell Ford said.

“We have been working diligently,” Ford said. “It was about four or five years ago when we started down this avenue with PennDOT.”

As Three Degree Road is a state road, the township hasn't had much say in managing it in the past. As previously reported by the Eagle, the township has worked with local, county and state officials throughout the turn back process.

The turn back will allow the township to retain responsibility of about five miles of Three Degree Road from the borough border of Valencia to Union Church Road.

“We believe that that should be a township road,” Ford said. “(But the) details fell through a few different times.”

Ford said this was true for the township until roughly a year ago. At that time, Ford said supervisors asked the township to form a committee to work specifically with PennDOT on the project.

“We actually negotiated for the longest time on an agreement,” Ford said.

The township went so far as to submit an agreement proposal to the state last year, Ford said, who noted that this summer the proposal was set aside at the state level.

“We're happy to report that they now have agreed,” Ford said.

Ford said he estimates the township was saved “thousands and thousands of dollars” through the work the turn back committee did to negotiate an agreement with PennDOT.

The township continues moving forward with the turn back process, according to Ford.