Emmitsburg Times by Mayor Jim Hoover
April 21, 2010
The Emmitsburg Town staff and elected officials have received several questions about the status of the Creamery Road and Lincoln Avenue project.
Recently the State of Maryland established a new permit requirement which the Town and our contractors were not aware of. To the best of our knowledge all permits were applied for and approved. The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) agreed that the Town could proceed with the job as designed, halfway through the project, MDE issued a stop work order for failing to obtain the proper permits. In additional to the stop work order, MDE also issued a $10,000 dollar fine, which was paid by our engineering firm.
The stop work order was issued on or about March 1, 2010 and was expected to last approximately six weeks. As of April 20, 2010 the Town has been unable to get a status from MDE on when we can expect the permit to be released which also determines when the stop work order will be lifted.
With a stop work order in place the Town is unable to make more suitable repairs to the roads without risking additional fines and penalties being assessed directly against the Town. The Town staff continues to fill pot holes but, the stone is easily washed out by the rain and constant flow of traffic. With South Seton Avenue closed, the Town knows how critical it is that Lincoln Avenue and Creamery Road remain accessible.
Town staff and I will continue to work with several agencies at the County and State levels to have work resumed on the Creamery Road and Lincoln Avenue project and to get South Seton Avenue reopened as soon as possible. Until the County determines that the building on the square is structural sound, the State Highway (SHA) can not reopen South Seton Avenue.
On a positive note; the Creamery Road and Lincoln Avenue project is a project that is long over. It may be hard to realize right now but, the short term inconveniences that we are currently experiencing is absolutely out weighed by the long term effects this project will have on our community. The scope of work for this project upgrades the sewer and water lines the entire length of East and West Lincoln Avenue including new piping under Toms Creek. The upgrade to the water line will improve the quality and volume of water available to the residents, businesses and fire hydrants. The upgrade to the sewer line will reduce the infiltration of “wild water” in to the sewer lines and reduce the risk of overloading our pump station which causes raw sewage spills.
Without the stop work order and the closing of a major road, the Creamery Road and Lincoln Avenue project is very similar to the projects that were completed on the west end of town and on South Seton Avenue. These projects also created an inconvenience to the community but, as designed, those projects also provided a significant resource for fire protection. Prior to those projects being completed several fire hydrants on the west end of town and along South Seton Avenue was unusable because the water lines did not have adequate volume. The water lines were old, leaking and not properly sized for current demands. Without those improvements, the recent fire on the square may have burned out of control longer and caused damage to the adjacent buildings.
Comments
Got something to say?
Advertisement
