Bridge plan to affect SV
JACKSON TWP — A bridge replacement project planned for 2017 is causing the Seneca Valley School District to tweak its calendar.
The state Department of Transportation is planning to replace the bridge on Seneca School Road over the Little Connoquenessing Creek next summer. Vehicles coming from Route 19 or Interstate 79 via Little Creek Road must cross the bridge to get to the district’s secondary campus. The only other route to the campus would be on Seneca School Road from Hartmann Road.
Monday the school board approved a school restriction waiver authorization contract with Plenary Walsh Keystone Partners giving permission to reduce the road to one lane during construction. Traffic will be controlled by a temporary stoplight. The contract also states that the project will include the addition of a right turning lane for eastbound traffic on Seneca School Road.
Superintendent Tracy Vitale said the administration will propose a 2016-17 school calendar to the school board next month that will avoid having school in session during the window of time that the bridge will be reduced to one lane.
Since neighboring roads have 10-ton weight limits, PennDOT cannot close the road completely and post a detour, said James Pearson, director of transportation.
Work will begin in the spring, but the lane closure will not be until around June 1, he said.
Vitale said school officials are considering having school begin during the third week or second week of August and be done by the end of May.
Starting early could create problems for families, though.
“When we get feedback from parents it’s not good, because you are also impacting sports programs and summer camps, so that is why we are tweaking every day possible,” Vitale said.
For the 2015-16 school year, the first student day was Aug. 26, midway through the fourth week of August and the last day for most grades will be June 3.
Board member Jeanette Lahm said Monday she was concerned about the potential problems for the district if the work was not finished.
“I’d be remiss if I didn’t say I was a little concerned about such a tight timeline and getting our instructional days in,” she said.
The district has about 100 buses that drop off 3,600 students at the secondary campus every day. There are also about 600 cars that come to and from the campus each day bringing in staff, students, vendors and guests, said Linda Andreassi, district communications director.
The board will vote on the 2016-17 school calendar at its meeting at 8 p.m. Feb. 22 in the senior high school auditorium.
