Cowpath-Orvilla realignment delayed again
It’s been discussed for about a decade, and now looks likely to take at least a few more months.
Township officials gave an update recently on several projects going on around the township, including the long-discussed realignment of Cowpath and Orvilla roads.
“The big one, and the most visible one, and arguably the most important public improvement that we’ve taken on in many years, is Cowpath-Orvilla,” said Township Manager Aaron Bibro.
“We all know we had to take a pause due to the COVID restrictions, but construction is back on,” he said.
Starting in 2010 and again a traffic plan update in 2012, the township’s officials have discussed the offset intersection of Cowpath and Orvilla as their top traffic and safety-related priority. In 2014 into 2015 the board bought a vacant gas station on the north side of the intersection, the township received $280,000 in state grant funds in 2016 to finish a design, then in 2018 used developer contributions to buy three houses north of the intersection. Two more grant applications went out that summer seeking $1 million in state grants that was awarded in October 2018 for the construction. Through 2019 the board finalized approvals and property transfers, and in January 2020 awarded a $1.8 million construction contract; at that time staff said they hoped to have a project timeline finalized within a few weeks.
During the commissioners’ May 13 meeting, Bibro gave an update on the project, including the coronavirus-related pause in construction and another new obstacle. As work has resumed, the manager told the township commissioners, contractors have found a need for a small field change regarding where soil will be distributed on the project site, and that change is currently under review by the Montgomery County Conservation District. Staff are “leaning on” local elected officials to try to speed up that process, and state Rep. Steve Malagari and state Sen. Maria Collett have been “extremely helpful” in doing so.
“Hopefully, we can get that project back moving, and still hopefully have it completed by the end of this year. We were hoping early fall, but maybe we can still make it happen in 2020,” Bibro said.
A second large traffic improvement, the planned synchronization of 11 traffic signals on Cowpath and Forty Foot Roads, was also put on pause due to COVID-19 but has since resumed, according to the manager.
“Ultimately, fiber (optic lines) will be running through that entire area, connecting all of the signals. That’s been slowed down, but I’m told as of today the work will continue shortly,” he said.
That project is also on target to be done by the end of 2020, so starting in early 2021 each signal will be linked together and able to make decisions to maximize traffic flow.
With the Cowpath-Orvilla project finally nearing the finish line, staff are already starting to plan the next traffic trouble spot to tackle, and Bibro said internal talks have begun on possible fixes to the intersection of Orvilla and Koffel Road, where drivers trying to make left turns can cause backups due to the lack of dedicated turn lanes. The township’s traffic engineer is working on a preliminary design of upgrades to that intersection, and talks with nearby residents will follow.
Just south on Orvilla, the intersection of Orvilla and Welsh Road is also on the to-do list, and talks have begun with Towamencin Township on how to make fixes at that intersection which acts as the border of both municipalities.
Other ongoing projects include new striping that may soon be added on Bergey Road that is meant to slow down truck traffic in that area, the manager added, and staff are developing an application for a grant that could add signage along the Frick’s Trail which runs east-west through Hatfield.
One action item related to the pandemic was approved unanimously by the board on May 13: a resolution authorizing the township to apply to PEMA, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, for reimbursement of costs related to the virus.
“So far the town ship has spent approximately $14,000 on items such as masks for the police and fire departments,” along with two “foggers” used to disinfect vehicles and buildings, said commissioner Gerry Andris.
“It’s our understanding at this point that all of those costs will be reimbursed 100 percent,” he said, before the board unanimously approved the resolution.
“If you drive by and don’t see activity, that’s why: it has nothing to do with COVID at this point, it has to do with bureaucracy.”