Earlier this year, Tyrone Mayor Patricia Stoner said the Streetscape project had been broken down into three phases as funding for each phase had to be obtained during the last several years since the project was first envisioned in the late 90s.
With funding now in place, the entire project could be completed by 2005 with the next leg of the project expected to be completed by the end of November of this year.
The Streetscape IIA phase of the project will include West 10th Street running west of Logan Avenue also East 10th Street going east of Bald Eagle Creek; portions of Pennsylvania Avenue, from East 11th to East 12th Street and Logan Avenue, north of West 10th Street.
The project was originally slated to be done in 2003, but was delayed while approval was sought for propriety items for the project. For aesthetic reasons, the borough wants to use the same street lights and fire hydrants as in the already completed portion of the Streetscape project. That first phase was completed in 2002.
“Up to this point we have been waiting for a proprietary item approval for the fire hydrants,” said Dave Lybarger. “I just got word this morning it looks like it will happen. All that’s needed is a final signature on a page and for it to be sent back.”
The approval Lybarger spoke of is needed from PENNDOT’s central office of the Bureau of Design in Harrisburg before the next step in the process can proceed.
Lybarger explained under current regulations, only general specifications can be included in a project versus playing favoritism for one manufacturer over another. He explained if a certain manufacturer of an item is requested then a justification must be made for approval.
“This is what the (Tyrone) water authority wants and what the fire company wants,” said Lybarger.
The next step for the project is a local letting which will give the borough the authority to advertised bids for the project and then receive the bids.
“We are waiting on a letter from the mayor requesting authority for the local let, it will then be forwarded to Harrisburg for final review and approval,” said Lybarger.
Mayor Stoner said she was working on the issue this morning and said the project is “back on track.”
Lybarger said he envisioned the bidding process to take place in July and the project to get started in late August or early September based on a normal eight-week process from approval to allow the letting of bids and the bids being awarded. He said the work could be done by the end of November.
“This is a high priority, the mayor has demonstrated it is a high priority project for the borough,” said Lybarger. “She has done everything she can.
“When it gets down to crunch time, we will try to do it (get the bids awarded and project started) sooner than the normal eight weeks, but I can’t make any promises,” said Lybarger.
In addition to the proprietary issues, the project had been delayed after it was subcontracted. Mayor Stoner noted there was some confusion during her absence earlier this year due to illness. She said it was a case of agencies dealing with two or three different people at the borough which led to communications problems.
She also said the subcontracting of the project led to additional “stops and starts” due to the need to explain certain issues to the subcontractor.
The mayor indicated things have gone more smoothly by working directly with PENNDOT although a subcontractor is scheduled to do the work.
Lybarger indicated Phase IIB of the Streetscape project should also go more smoothly. He said he doesn’t anticipate any surprises.
“We had preliminary contact with Mayor Stoner on it,” said Lybarger. “It should move rather quickly, it’s a mirror image of Phase IIA.
“The proprietary items are the same so we shouldn’t need the justifications,” explained Lybarger.
He said the only thing which could hold up the last phase would be an environmental review, otherwise he said the project could be let in the fall and complete in 2005.
In all, more than $540,000 in funding is in place to completed Phase IIA and IIB of the Tyrone Streetscape project.
