Adams Township is discussing a three-phase repaving plan for Three Degree Road.

Township leaders have been working closely with PennDOT this year to finalize the Three Degree Road turnback project.

This will allow the township to own and maintain roughly five miles of Three Degree Road from the border of Valencia borough to the area of Union Church Road.

“They will have complete control of the road,” said Jim Schepis, municipal services supervisor for PennDOT District 10. “That would give them the ability to control what goes in along there.”

While turnback paperwork continues to be processed, township leaders are now discussing a future three-phase paving plan for the road.

“There's a lot of paperwork,” said Gary Peaco, township manager. “We want to get moving on it.”

Schepis said turnback agreement papers signed by Adams Township officials have been submitted to Harrisburg.

Schepis expects the documents will be returned from Harrisburg in mid-January, although he said current working-from-home operations may affect the timeline.

Once these documents are received, Schepis said the township will start working with PennDOT to prepare bid specifications for paving.

Schepis said the turnback agreement includes a provision for PennDOT to cover roughly $4.3 million worth of Three Degree Road rehabilitation projects for the township.

“PennDOT will be giving them rehab monies,” Schepis said. “It's (for) agreed-upon items between the township and PennDOT.”

Schepis explained rehab projects can include anything from paving or painting lane lines to managing drainage.

Peaco said the township plans to start the three-part paving schedule on the southern end of Three Degree Road.

He hopes to see Phase 1 paving start as early as the summer of 2021, after arrangements are approved by the state.

“We do need to get that approved by PennDOT,” Peaco said.

Because there is a “short window for paving,” Peaco said the idea is to do a phase per year: Phase 1 in 2021, Phase 2 in 2022 and Phase 3 in 2023, if possible.

Both the township and PennDOT have recognized extensive planning has gone into the Three Degree Road turnback.

Peaco and Schepis said both entities will work together as the project unfolds.