Latest Phase Of Downtown Streetscape Project More Than Halfway Done

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

WILKES-BARRE — The sun beat down on the newly poured concrete sidewalks outside Mimmo’s Pizza, and inside Mark Bronsburg thought about the winter.

Construction workers have been toiling in the heat and humidity to dig up the old walkways as part of the latest phase of the downtown Streetscape project and replace them to smooth the way for people going around Public Square.

Bronsburg looked forward to an easier job shoveling snow without jamming a shovel against an upraised sidewalk paver.

He’s among the business owners around the Square who’ve been waiting for improvements to be made to match those on the opposite side.  He’s also willing to put up with short-term inconveniences.

Read more:  http://www.timesleader.com/news/local-news/669883/Latest-phase-of-downtown-Streetscape-project-more-than-halfway-done

In Post-Lower Macungie Development Boom, Talk Of ‘Smart Growth’

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

Jim Palmquist is one 66-year-old who has the time, motivation and legs to walk the nearly two-miles from his Lower Macungie home to the closest restaurant.

What he doesn’t have is a death wish.

With the proliferation of cars and trucks clogging roads between his Fresh Meadow Drive neighborhood and the closest Brookside Road businesses, walking can be a life-risking proposition, particularly because of the sporadic placement of sidewalks and walkways that go virtually nowhere.

“This is a township that is completely auto driven,” said Palmquist ,who recently did a thorough study of sidewalks in the area of Lower Macungie and Brookside roads. “You can’t walk to the Wawa. You can’t walk to the township building.”

Read more: http://www.mcall.com/news/local/eastpenn/mc-lower-macungie-smart-growth-20120930,0,2415679.story

Phoenixville Borough – Do As I Say, Not As I Do

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Phoenixville Borough has a bad case of “do as I say, not as I do” according to one Dayton Street resident.  Frank Tammaro has lived in Phoenixville his whole life.  Not only does Frank take care of his sidewalk, he was plowing North Street as a public service to his neighbors for the last three years. 

Based on Frank’s account, it started snowing on Monday night, December 27^th.  On Tuesday, December 28^th around 2 p.m., a citation was taped to his mailbox that carried a $92 fine.  According to Phoenixville Borough code, snow is supposed to be removed within 24 hours after the storm.  Frank’s fine was received before the 24-hour grace period. 

Frank decided to check the sidewalks Phoenixville Borough is responsible for to see if they followed their own rules.  Frank took pictures of snow-covered sidewalks on the Veteran’s Bridge Gay Street Bridge and a sidewalk outside of District Justice Theodore Michael’s court along Bridge Street.  These areas are the borough’s responsibility.  Based on Frank’s pictures, they should fine themselves.

Not only has Phoenixville failed to follow their own sidewalk rules, they were not plowing some borough streets.  Frank was plowing North Street so his neighbors could avoid getting their cars stuck in the snow.  Frank says he is done plowing North Street.  It is the borough’s responsibility.  I can not blame Frank for feeling that way.

To add insult to injury, Frank was not given the courtesy of a return call from Phoenixville Borough Manager, E. Jean Krack, about his fine.

Frank’s first hearing was postponed.  When Frank arrived at Judge Michaels’ office, he was told the office was closing five minutes before his scheduled hearing due to inclement weather.  It seems contacting Frank to tell him his hearing would need to be rescheduled was not on anybody’s radar???  Frank needs to make a second trip on February 9^th to address his questionable citation.

It would seem Phoenixville government needs to get its house in order.  I think Frank deserves an apology and his citation needs to be rescinded.  If you are going to ticket residents for not removing snow from their sidewalks in a timely manner, you darn well better follow you own rules.

Two Roy’s Rants thumbs DOWN for Phoenixville Borough.