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SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority                         August 28, 2013

One-Day Detour as Beams for Railroad Bridge are Set

 

A portion of the White Deer Pike, south of Allenwood in Union County, PA is closed today as reconstruction of the White Deer Railroad Bridge continues. The four steel bridge spans were scheduled to be set between 7 a.m. and
7 p.m., interrupting vehicular traffic between Old Route 15 and Watsontown. 
 
According to Jeff Stover, SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority (JRA) Executive Director, the detour could be lifted by late afternoon if everything goes smoothly. 
 
In order to control traffic, signs have been erected on the east side of the Susquehanna River in Watsontown and at approaches to the intersection of Harberson and Leiser roads. The latter location will facilitate control of local traffic that may originate off Old Route 15 via Harberson Road, or near the car wash in White Deer. The signage will prohibit vehicles longer than
22-feet; meaning no large trucks. Any vehicles over 22-feet in length are to use the signed detour via Routes 15, 44 and 405.
 
The Union County Sheriff's Department is stationed at both ends of the local detour, i.e., Watsontown and the Harberson/Leiser roads intersection, and officers will issue traffic citations to offenders. The sheriff's department has received approval from the Watsontown Borough Police Department to set up in the Borough in order to prohibit trucks from heading west on the White Deer Pike over the river bridge.
 
Completion of the railroad bridge project is expected by late September, necessitating two additional brief closures of the highway, during daylight hours only. The next will be for overhead work on the bridge, and is tentatively scheduled Sept. 4-6. The second is for final paving of the portion of White Deer Pike that was impacted by the project. That is tentatively scheduled for Sept. 10. 
 
Reconstruction of the railroad bridge began in May and the traffic detour was to be in place until the project was completed. However, a re-prioritization of the construction schedule was worked out in discussions involving the JRA and PennDOT, allowing the detour to be lifted one month ahead of schedule. 
 
Reconstruction of the railroad bridge will result in rail service to Great Stream Commons Business Park in Allenwood which, say local officials, will make the park more attractive to prospective tenants.
 
The JRA is overseeing the nearly $1 million project.  

 

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SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority 

201 Furnace Road - Lewisburg, PA 17831
Tel:  570-524-4491 - Fax:  570-524-9190
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Central Pennsylvania Rail Alert is a publication of the SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority and includes news for shippers, public officials, and others with an interest in Central Pennsylvania's shortline railroad system. It is published on an irregular basis; essentially whenever there is news to report. If you have questions regarding the Rail Alert, please e-mail Steve Kusheloff, Manager, Public Information. Feel free to forward the Rail Alert to others, and invite them to join our distribution list.
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