By Richard L. Gaw

Staff Writer 

It was announced at the May 1 London Grove Township Board of Supervisors meeting that Woodview Road will be closed between Gap-Newport Pike and Route 841 until further notice, after a tree fell across a bridge on the road on March 31 and caused excessive damage.

Public Works Director Shane Kinsey told the board that the road is expected to remain closed for the next two to three years, and is currently on PennDOT's “To-Do” bridge repair plans. The design costs to redevelop the bridge are estimated to range between $150,000 to $200,000, and will be part of an overall cost of renovation that Kinsey estimated would be about $1 million.

“Hopefully, we can work to get funding in the 80 percent range [of the total cost of repair], but it's going to take time,” Kinsey told the board. “Before we get the funding, we can begin to start moving forward with the design in 2020, and keep that project moving forward, in order to make us better off in [potentially receiving grants.]”

The board also voted to approve the estimated cost of $45,537 associated with making needed repairs to the McCue Road Bridge in the township, which is located between Woodview and Church roads in the township. The winning bid was awarded to Ephrata-based Mar-Allen Concrete Products, and will come out of the township's general fund.

The township will receive about $9,000 in reimbursement toward the bridge repair from Carroll Engineering, who designed a replacement for the bridge, but because one of the beams specified in the design was found not to be in compliance with Pa. State standards, the firm agreed to do a revised plan at no cost o the township, and also agreed to pay for up to 20 percent of the repair costs for the bridge. 

“Quite honestly, this is a band-aid on that bridge, but this is another million-dollar-plus bridge to replace,” Kinsey said. “Obviously, we recommend a full replacement of the bridge. However, we have another million-dollar bridge on the line (the bridge on Woodview Road, which has been closed due to damage from a fallen tree), so it becomes a funding source issue. So the choice the board needs to make is, do we leave the bridge as is  – one that is slightly restricted – or do we make this repair?” 

In other township business, the supervisors granted conditional use to Keystone Novelties that gives permission for the fireworks distributor to set up sales tents along Route 41 during two 30-day periods this year, – from June to July, in preparation of Independence Day; and in December, in preparation for New Year's Eve.

Conditional use application came with the following conditions: that the conditional use permission to sell fireworks confines sales to the property, unless there is a change of ownership, zoning change or change in the type of sales and distribution method; that sales periods are confined to a 30-day period; that the company's electrical needs comply with the National Electric Code; that the company install temporary “No Parking” signs on either side of Route 41; and that the company acquire all necessary permits applicable to fireworks sales.

The conditional use also permits the company to sell fireworks that are consistent with the laws of Pennsylvania.

Noting the history of Keystone Novelties selling fireworks in the township, board chairman Richard Scott-Harper suggested that the board grant conditional use for the property and the applicant and not put a time limit on it, “so that they don't have to come back every year for a conditional use hearing, in order to do what they've been doing for a number of years,” he said.

The township also announced that SECCRA will be holding a trash and recycle day for township residents on May 18, from 1 to 4 p.m.

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email [email protected].