Met-Ed To Invest $116 Million

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Berks County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Metropolitan-Edison Co. plans a $116 million expansion of its electrical infrastructure in 15 counties, including Berks, the utility said Thursday.

In northern Berks, the FirstEnergy subsidiary will spend nearly $10 million to improve service and capacity for future growth in an area now serving 40,000 to 50,000 customers, according to Scott Surgeoner, Met-Ed spokesman.

On Thursday, workers tackled the upgrade at the Northkill substation along Route 183 in Jefferson Township. The project in Berks should be completed by June.

The area includes everything within the parameters of Route 183 north from Route 222 to Interstate 78, east to Route 61 and south to Route 222.

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PennDOT Unveils Upgrade To Interstate 78

Map of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States with township and municipal boundaries (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A major section of Interstate 78 in northern Berks County will be upgraded under a PennDOT plan unveiled Thursday night at a public meeting in Greenwich Elementary School.

The Krumsville Interchange Project, a $140 million initiative, is aimed at increasing safety on an 8-mile section of the interstate from Lenhartsville east to the Berks-Lehigh county line, officials said.

Ronald J. Young Jr., PennDOT spokesman, said construction is scheduled to begin in 2015 and last about three years.

“It’s designed to improve safety and emergency access,” Young said. “Fatalities on this section are 40 percent higher than average, and the crash rate is 71 percent higher.”

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PetSmart To Open $50 Million Warehouse In Bethel Township

Map of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States with township and municipal boundaries (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

National retailer PetSmart plans to open a $50 million distribution warehouse in Berks Park 78 in Bethel Township, creating 500 permanent jobs and 390 construction jobs.

This is the second Fortune 500 company slated to open in the park by January 2014.

A Dollar General distribution center, which plans to employ 500 workers and an additional 75 truckers, announced its plans last month.

Thomas C. McKeon, executive director of the Berks County Industrial Development Authority, said he is ecstatic the two large companies selected Bethel.

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Woman’s Body Found In Burning Car In Greenwich Township, Berks County

Map of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States with township and municipal boundaries (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

State police have identified the woman found dead in her car this morning after firefighters extinguished flames that engulfed the car in the parking lot of a restaurant near Interstate 78 in northeastern Berks County.

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