Greene County experiences ups, downs in 2015
John Stevens
Nearly 17 months after an overweight tanker truck collapsed part of the bridge deck, Pollocks Mill Bridge reopened to traffic in February after construction work passed a final inspection. (Photo by Jon Stevens)
The dam at Ryerson Station State Park used to hold back Duke Lake, which was drained after the dam was determined to be too structurally unstable to hold back the lake. Locals were dismayed to learn the dam would remain unstable for the foreseeable future as the ground beneath it continued to settle as the result of nearby longwall coal mining. (Photo by Kelly Tunney, Herald-Standard)
Numerous officials and representatives from local organizations, agencies and businesses participated in a groundbreaking ceremony on May 1 for the future site of Gateway Senior Housing, a four-story, 52-unit apartment in Waynesburg Borough designed for independent seniors ages 62 or older. (Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Menhart)
WAYNESBURG – The announcement came in July and it was not what Greene County residents wanted to hear.
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) brought the disappointing news to Ryerson Station State Park in Wind Ridge that replacement of a dam that created Duke Lake was currently not possible because of continued ground movement and an unstable foundation.
And then in November, Alpha Natural Resources closed its Emerald Mine in Waynesburg, resulting in the layoff of 220 miners.
But it was not all bad news for Greene County in 2015, as the county completed the rehabilitation of Murtha Drive leading up to the Walmart Super Center and transferred the ownership of the winding asphalt pathway to Franklin Township.
Additionally, plans and designs of the airport improvement project moved forward, the rehabilitation of the damaged historic Pollock Mill bridge began and the construction of the Gateway Senior Housing and Accessible Dreams projects in Waynesburg and Jefferson, respectively, got under way.
There is no question the county was able to accomplish a host of projects, some small and some large, thanks mostly to gas well impact fees, known as Act 13 money.
“It kept us afloat,” said Blair Zimmerman, chairman of the board of county commissioners. Yet, Zimmerman recognized with the downturn of the energy sector, 2016 and beyond will be a “tough road ahead.”
Emerald Mine closes
Perhaps nothing punctuated the reality of that tough road that lies head than the announcement in August that Alpha Natural Resources was closing its Emerald Mine, followed by the actual closing in November that put 220 miners out of work.
The closing was inevitable, but that didn’t ease the pain.
The announcement to close the mine, which has been in operation since 1977, came as no surprise. State Rep. Pam Snyder, D-Jefferson, who last year pledged to seek all available resources to counter the effects of the plant closing, said at the time of the announcement, “Of course this disturbs me, I am never happy to see any business close, but Alpha has been saying it would close Emerald for a year.”
When the initial announcement of the planned closing was made last year, Alpha cited a depressed coal market, a challenging domestic regulatory environment and the fact the mine was nearing the end of its reserves as reasons for the closure.
No more Duke Lake
It was in July 2005 that Duke Lake was drawn down for safety reasons after inspections of the dam revealed seepage and dam foundation movement. At that time, instruments were installed on the dam to measure movement but in 2012, those movements were considered non-detectable and plans were made to move ahead on a design to rebuild the dam.
However, in 2014, significant movement was again detected and in February of this year, when more movement was seen, it became apparent that the foundation had to be stable in order to get a dam permit and it was recommended not to rebuild the dam.
In the meantime, in April 2013, DCNR and Consol Energy Inc. settled a lawsuit related to the impact of long-wall mining in the area of the dam. Since the settlement payment was not restricted to only rebuild the dam, DCNR has the opportunity to use the settlement money to do other things in the park.
The allocation for dam reconstruction was estimated at about $25 million and there was an additional $8 million earmarked for sediment removal. The $25 million has been encumbered through the capital budget process and DCNR is working to ensure it can be used for other infrastructure projects at the park.
In September, DCNR began a dialogue with local residents about plans for the future of the park. They came, they listened and they participated.
That was the hope of the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and members of the Re-Vision Ryerson Station State Park Task Force when it was decided to bring together state and local officials to begin a dialogue with local residents about plans for the future of the park.
Nearly 50 people with varied interest in the park’s future attended the first of two sessions at the West Greene Middle-Senior High School, and if they came away with one overriding message it was that it’s time to look forward and not back.
John Hallas, an assistant bureau director of DCNR, recounted the day in July when DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn came to Ryerson to announce that replacement of a dam that created Duke Lake was currently not possible because of continued ground movement and an unstable foundation.
“The news was painful and heart-rending, but it is our intention to move forward,” he said. “We are not leaving Ryerson behind.”
Airport development
After years of discussions and planning, the commissioners took a major step in 2016 to jump start the long-awaited airport project along Route 21.
Folino Construction Inc., of Oakmont, was awarded a $768,719 contract Greene County for the construction of a new intersection on Route 21 at the county airport’s entrance, part of a plan to open airport property to commercial development and possibly a new restaurant.
“We are supposed to break ground this spring,” Zimmerman said.
The project has been in the works for at a number of years and earlier involved the demolition of four old airplane hangars and construction of a T-hangar.
The county earlier hired the real estate firm Burns & Scalo to market the three, two-acre lots that will be available for lease fronting Route 21.
The commissioners repeatedly said they expect at least one of the tenants to be a family-style, sit-down restaurant. Leasing the properties also is expected to provide a stable revenue stream to help fund airport operating costs.
The county hopes to complete the project primarily with grants. It now has more than $2.5 million in grant money earmarked for the project.
The county has spent some Act 13 money on engineering work for the project and on hangar construction but hopes it also can obtain grants to recoup those costs, he said.
Pollocks Mill Bridge
In September last year, repairs began to the historic 136-year-old Pollocks Mill Bridge that spans Ten Mile Creek between Morgan and Jefferson townships. This February, 17 months after a tanker truck attempted to cross the span and collapsed part of the deck in the process, the bridge opened to traffic.
Extensive repairs were made to the wooden deck. In addition to the new wooden planks, additional safety features include clearance height bars, and “rub nails” on each side. The weight limit, however, remains at 4 tons.
“I just hope this is the last bridge we have to rehabilitate because of damage caused by trucks working for the drilling industry,” Zimmerman said.
“There is adequate signage at the bridge and if drivers are not paying attention, shame on them,” he said. “I am just glad that the inconveniences of having that bridge closed have now been removed.”
On Sept. 28, 2014, a truck owned by Buccaneer Enterprises of Buckhannon, W.Va., weighing about 16.5 tons, was hauling fresh water to an EQT well site when it partially fell through the deck.
The truck was removed from the bridge a few days after the collapse. The driver of the truck, Jason Wayne Strawderman, 38, of Beverly, W.Va., told authorities he did not see the 4-ton weight restriction sign for the bridge.
Housing takes shape
Ground was broken in May for a new 52-unit senior apartment building on High Street in Waynesburg known as Gateway Senior Housing It is being developed by PIRHL Development LLC of Warrensville Heights, Ohio, and construction began last June and is expected to be completed this summer.
The project is estimated to cost $10 million. The building will contain 31 one-bedroom units and 21 two-bedroom apartments for independent seniors, ages 62 or older, whose income is 60 percent or less of the medium income for the county.
Another groundbreaking was held in May, this one for Independence Place, a four-unit apartment building at 1392 Jefferson Avenue, Jefferson Borough.
The new four-unit structure will contain two fully accessible two-bedroom units on the ground floor for persons with mobility impairments, and two additional two-bedroom units on the second floor for individuals needing affordable rental housing.
The two street level apartments will be designed for wheelchair accessibility throughout, including zero step entries, roll-in shower, wide hallways and accessible kitchen.
All four apartments will include two bedrooms, one accessible bath, a powder room, living/dining room, and kitchen and will be made available to qualified individuals.
Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) awarded $514,000 to Accessible Dreams, a not-for-profit developer of accessible housing, and the Greene County Redevelopment
The funding is being made available through the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement (PHARE) Fund and Marcellus Shale impact fees. The Greene County commissioners supported this project in an effort to address the needs for affordable and accessible apartments, especially for persons with disabilities. Washington Federal Savings and Loan of Greene County also participated in the support of the project.
The project is also supported by Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council (PADDC) grant to support an increase in housing options for persons with disabilities.
Accessible Dreams is a not-for-profit developer of accessible housing, whose mission it is to expand opportunities for independent living for people with disabilities by increasing the inventory of accessible housing choices in southwestern PA. Accessible Dreams is an affiliate organization of TRIPIL in Washington.
Municipalities
Franklin Township ended 2015 in good shape, said Reed Kiger, chairman of the township supervisors.
“Financially, we are doing well,” he said.”We were able to keep up with our road maintenance thanks in a large -part to Act 13 money.
He said the township will have the same focus this year with new paving and storm drain projects.
“I think it is fair to say Franklin Township is thriving and I am very proud of what we have accomplished,” Kiger said.
Similarly, Cumberland Township experienced what supervisor Chairman William Groves described as a normal year in 2015.
“Our job is to take care of the roads and fund our police department, and that’s what we did,” Groves said.
Groves did say the township has received less Act 13 money than it has in previous years and also noted the money received from earned income tax is also down.
With some tighter monitoring of resources, Groves is confident the township will continue to have a productive 2016 as well.