Dingman bridge replacement raises traffic concerns

Log Tavern road would close for ‘a season’, By Jerry Goldberg DINGMAN - Officials say the planned replacement of Dwarf’s Kill Creek bridge on Log Tavern Road will have a major impact on community residents, school buses as well as emergency services. PennDOT wants replace the bridge in 2009 due to a corroding sub-structure, which is easily visible from below. “Unless some alternate plan to handle traffic on Log Tavern Road other than a 15 mile detour is conceived it will cripple Dingman Township,” Dingman Township Supervisors Chair Tom Mincer said on July 3. PennDOT has rejected two plans to use half the bridge at a time during construction. One plan for temporary construction of a single lane parallel roadway to the bridge was rejected due to the impact it might have on Dwarf’s Kill Creek which runs along side Log Tavern Road. The other plan, to use one half of the bridge for both directions of traffic was also rejected due to concerns over longitudinal construction joints in the bridge and the impact of winter salt and the freeze thaw cycle which may accelerate deterioration of the structure. PennDOT said this would require full time use of temporary traffic control signals also. Sewage Enforcement Officer Chris Wood said, “Money is the only concern for PennDOT. They are not concerned with the lives of the people that might be affected because emergency services will be hampered or local community residents will be forced to drive many extra miles to get around. They just want it to be cheaper.” Dingman Township Fire Chief Bill Mikulak remarked, “It is possible for PennDOT to remove the ‘big rock structure’ at the bridge and put in a temporary overpass for around $200,000. According to communications from PennDOT the whole project should only take a “season” to be completed. Mincer asked, “What is a season for PennDOT?” Mincer said that township residents need to put up a fight with PennDOT and have them figure out a better way to do the job other than just closing Log Tavern Road. Supervisor Dennis Brink remarked, “Now all the Log Tavern Road traffic will be using State Route 739 to go around and will create a great amount of extra cars and trucks passing through the Ding-Del Elementary School area.” PennDOT made a presentation to the public at the Dingman Township Fire Department on June 25 and handed out survey forms to the public regarding the proposed bridge replacement project. For more information on the closing of Log Tavern Road, can email Charles Reuther, PennDOT project engineer at creuther@state.pa.us . The project is called “State Route 2006 Log Tavern Road Bridge Replacement.”