Published Saturday, April 6, 2002
SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP
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PennDOT hoping to ease congestion near outlet mall
Herald Staff Writer
Plans to reduce congestion and awkward traffic patterns at the state Route 208-Interstate 79 interchange center on moving state Route 258 east or west, according to PennDOT plans revealed Thursday.
The Springfield Township interchange is home to Prime Outlets at Grove City and the hotels, restaurants, convenience stores and gas stations that have sprouted up in the last decade.
About 40 people -- travelers and citizens who use the corridor -- turned out at the Springfield firehall to hear PennDOT's plans for the building process and provide their input.
The goal is to reduce congestion on Route 208 by realigning 258, so motorists will stop avoiding the bad intersection by taking rural road shortcuts like Blacktown, which meets Irishtown at 208 east of the outlet mall, officials said.
Currently, state Route 208 varies from two lanes at Old Ash Road to four lanes between Prime Outlets Drive and state Route 258, officials said. It narrows to three lanes east of the intersection with Route 258, north to the Interstate 79 southbound ramps.
There are stop signs on Old Ash Road, Route 258 and Veterans and there is a four-way stop light at the outlet mall entrance. PennDOT is considering widening state Route 208 and identified the area where Blacktown and Irishtown roads intersect with state Route 208 as a location where improvements will be evaluated.
Seven alternatives are being explored for the relocation of state Route 258 north:
Considerations for each alternative include travel distance and time, potential environmental issues and removing and reducing Route 258 traffic from the interchange, officials said.
All improvements are being considered to avoid damaging the environment, special features such as historic buildings, cemeteries, hazardous waste areas, natural environmental areas and other pertinent sites, said William Petit, PennDOT district engineer.
The project has several steps before its completion.
The first step, an environmental study, is 10 months into a two-year process.
The next step is coming up with a final design and details, which includes looking into any sort of utilities that may be needed. That takes one to two years.
The third and final process is construction, which will probably start sometime in 2005 and take about two years, Petit said.
"This is the first public process we've had to fully consider all of the alternatives," Petit said. "We're obligated to show the public these alternatives to see what it'd mean and get their input."
He said the goal is to make state Route 258 efficient and functional by the year 2006.
Several signs will be updated in the next couple of weeks to help reduce confusion in the area, officials said.
A community advisory committee will be formed to represent citizens, and another public meeting is planned for late summer to get a consensus from the community.
"I thought tonight's meeting went well. It was very informative. Good questions and answers were given," said Judy Hassler, a Springfield Township supervisor. "The next step is the community advisory committee and we'll go from there."