Tyrone Borough Council meets tonight at 7 p.m. at the Municipal Building on Logan Avenue. The agenda indicates Council will be addressing a number of issues, including requests by local organizations to utilize Reservoir Park, proposed activities of the Community Drug Forum, an update on the Railroad Park train platform, the awarding of the bid for the waterline replacement project and the approval of payment to MeadWestvaco for waterline repairs and easement.
Carla Fink has requested to use the amphitheater at Reservoir Park for a concert to benefit the Tyrone-Snyder Public Library. The benefit concert is slated for August 25. The Community Drug Forum is requesting to use the City Hotel Park for a prayer service September 8 at 2 p.m. and also to use a portion of the downtown for a “Just Say No Rally” August 17. Also, Jeff Loose has requested, on behalf of a number of borough employees, to host a “Teen Night” at Reservoir Park Friday, August 16.
The Borough manager’s Monthly Report for August notes the status of the train platform at the Bud Shuster Intermodal Transportation Center, at the Railroad Park. In March, Drayovitch had informed Council that $80,000 in Pennsylvania Department of Transportation money was earmarked for the platform, with Tyrone Borough then responsible for its local share. At that time, the borough manager informed Council that the costs would be divided on an 80/20 basis, with PennDOT paying 80 percent and Tyrone kicking in 20 percent. The Borough also had the option of putting the PennDOT funds completely into construction costs while the Borough would pay the non-construction costs.
The Borough’s engineer firm, CET, prepared the design and specifications for the original platform as part of the original Intermodal Center design. Since the project was over budget when the Intermodal Center was built, the platform was postponed. In March, Drayovitch also reminded Council that Amtrak funding was questionable and it was a concern the platform may not be needed it Amtrak would fold.
In a memo from engineer Ray Myers to Drayovitch, dated July 26, 2002, Myers outlines the progress made on the platform issue. Of note in the memo was a warning that Myers had been told by Amtrak officials to “be prepared for a long process with respect to approvals and permits.” Also, Myers was told that Norfolk Southern would charge for flagging during the construction and such costs would be in the range of $400-500 per day, everyday the contractor works.
Myers also informs Drayovitch in the memo that the Amtrak official informed him that it was his understanding that passengers can only enter and exit from an Amtrak owned facility.
Myers notes that upon further contact with Amtrak, he learned that there were two approved low-level platform lengths — 300 feet for a point-to-point location and 600 feet for a leisure location. This is not negotiable, the memo reads. Amtrak will also require a fee to review the plans, but Myers did not know the cost.
Finally, in regards to the platform, Myers points out that Norfolk Southern “wants an overhead crossing for eastbound passengers to eliminates the at-grade passenger walkway.” The memo warns that the issue could slow down any approvals for the station “or eliminate it altogether.” Myers said that Amtrak will be meeting with Norfolk Southern to discuss the project.
Drayovitch, in his report, informs Council that CET estimates design and non-construction costs would be in the range of $15,000 to $20,000, or more. There are no monies budgeted for this, Drayovitch adds. Drayovitch points out that Community Development Block Grant funds could possibly be used for the non-construction costs, as the Borough did for the City Hotel Park and Streetscape projects.
