Sunrise ‘island' to get the gate

DINGMAN — Sometimes, getting a solution is just a matter of opening the lines of communication. That appeared to be the case this week when the Courier inquired about a controversial design change at the main gate for the Sunrise Lakes Community. Resident Deanna Margiore said many community residents were upset about new, narrower traffic lanes at the Sunrise gate. She said trucks, an ambulance, and school buses were all having trouble negotiating the concrete island separating the lanes. “Our snow plow even got stuck in it last week,” she complained. Margiore called the new configuration “a death trap,” that no one, not the community’s management, PennDOT nor the township would take action to fix. Marvin Eversdyke, Delaware Valley schools’ director of Support Services confirmed that buses needed to swing to the opposite shoulder on state Route 739 to make the new turn. “We’re doing it for now,” he said. “For now” referred to the coming of snow season, when the white stuff will be piled on those shoulders. PennDOT Design Engineer Joe Pelosi admitted that could be a problem, but insisted the design met “minimum” state standards. “I didn’t want to do it in the first place,” said Sunrise co-owner Bill Ramagosa. “The state required me to get an engineer to do it in order to get a highway access permit.” Pelosi said the four-decade-old community, like many Pike residential communities, has never had the required highway access permit. Pelosi said the old entrance was dangerous, as cars often pulled out two abreast. So came the state-approved design ... and the complaints. Margiore was angry that Ramagosa would not respond to complaints, but simply referred people to Pelosi at PennDOT. “I figured it was PennDOT’s okay on the design and they should deal with the complaints,” Ramagosa said. Pelosi said he’d fielded lots of resident calls about the island and the gate. “I can’t do anything about it. We’re responsible for the highway and a 25-foot right-of-way. I can’t go on the man’s property and take that island out,” he said. Still, “If he wants to change it, all (Ramagosa) has to do is call me and we can amend the permit,” Pelosi said. Ramagosa laughed out loud when told of Pelosi’s remark. “That’s news to me,” he said. Ten minutes later, after calling Pelosi, Ramagosa was back on the phone with the end of the island in sight. “Twenty dollars a piece for two (the second to restore changes at Sunrise’s rear gate) amended permits. I couldn’t be happier. (PennDOT) wasted a lot of my money, but now at least we won’t get someone killed,” Ramagosa concluded.