Park Boulevard Realignment in Hershey Honored with Safety Award

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Representatives of Derry Township in Dauphin County accept the first-place roadway award in the Road and Bridge Safety Improvement Awards at the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors’ (PSATS) 95th Annual Educational Conference April 23-26 in Hershey. Sponsored by PSATS, the Pennsylvania Highway Information Association (PHIA), and the state Department of Transportation, the award recognizes townships for their extensive contributions to making roads and bridges safer. Participating in the presentation are, from left, PennDOT Director of Planning and Research Laine Heltebridle; Matthew Lena, P.E., transportation team leader, Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc.; Derry Township Chairman John Foley; PHIA Managing Director Jason Wagner; and PSATS Executive Board Member Bill Hawk. (Photo courtesy of the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors.)

 

The realignment of Park Boulevard has been honored with a Road & Bridge Safety Award from the Pennsylvania Highway Information Association, Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors, and PennDOT.  The award was presented to Derry Township officials at the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors Conference at the Hershey Lodge on April 24, 2017.

Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. designed the project for Derry Township and devised a creative funding strategy that expedited the project schedule.

A broad range of local leaders from Derry Township, Dauphin County, and area businesses worked together on this project to support future economic development in Hershey.  The new roadway provides several safety improvements:

  • It replaces a 60-year old bridge over Spring Creek, which was structurally deficient and weight-restricted.
  • It converts a narrow roadway beneath the Norfolk-Southern underpass from two-way traffic to one-way traffic. (The roadway is not wide enough for two opposing lanes of traffic to safely pass each other, so switching to one-way traffic will prevent vehicle conflicts.)
  • It improves emergency response time by adding a roadway connection from northbound Park Boulevard.  (Previously, first responders had to drive a circuitous route through several intersections to access this area. Now crews can reach the area 2-3 minutes faster.)
  • It provides a new sidewalk that will enhance safety for pedestrians traveling to Hershey’s attractions from downtown.
  • It adds a safe zone for people boarding and exiting buses at the Hershey Intermodal Transportation Center. This zone is physically protected from through-traffic.

The realigned Park Boulevard was completed and opened to traffic in the fall of 2016.  View a slideshow of project photos below.

 

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Dauphin County Infrastructure Bank Honored with Governor’s Award

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Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. (HRG) is pleased to announce that our client Dauphin County received a Governor’s Award for Local Government Excellence for the infrastructure bank program we helped them create. The award for “innovative community or government initiative” was presented to Dauphin County officials at the Governor’s Residence on April 12, 2017. Commissioners George Hartwick, Jeff Haste, and Mike Pries attended the ceremony with George Connor, the executive director of Dauphin County’s Department of Community and Economic Development and the administrator of the infrastructure bank program.

HRG worked with PennDOT and Dauphin County officials to develop this program, which provides a creative solution to one of local government’s biggest challenges: successfully maintaining and replacing infrastructure. It leverages the county’s Liquid Fuels funding and the underutilized Pennsylvania Infrastructure Bank program to stretch the value of local government dollars. In its first three years, Dauphin County turned an annual investment of $325,000 in Liquid Fuels money into 10 projects worth $11 million: 7 bridges, 1 streetscape, 1 intersection improvement, and 1 traffic signal improvement.

DCIB turns 325K into 10 projects worth $11M

While people on both sides of the aisle agree that infrastructure improvements are badly needed, the debate often stalls over where the money will come from to pay for these improvements. The Dauphin County Infrastructure Bank shows that new revenue is not necessarily needed to begin addressing these problems; applying existing revenue in new ways can help us make significant progress. By combining several sources of funding – each of which would’ve been inadequate to meet the infrastructure need alone – the Dauphin County Infrastructure Bank has accomplished so much more for the county’s residents than these funding sources could’ve done individually.

Brian Emberg is an engineer who helped develop this program. He began working with the county in the 1980s on a similarly forward-thinking program that helped the county eliminate significant structural deficiency of its bridges. (In 1984, one-third of the county’s bridges were structurally deficient, but today the county has no load-posted, structurally deficient bridges at all, thanks to a bridge management system they designed with HRG.)

Emberg says, “Dauphin County’s officials are dedicated public servants and true visionaries. They continually challenge the status quo to deliver the best service to their constituents for the highest return on public tax dollars. This program provides a great example to other counties on how the seemingly impossible task of addressing our infrastructure can be solved.”

Indeed, HRG is currently in talks with counties around the state about implementing similar infrastructure bank programs of their own. Though Dauphin County uses its program for transportation improvements, the program can be used to fund any type of infrastructure, depending on the sources of money used to capitalize the loan program.

  • Funded by the Dauphin County Infrastructure Bank: Middletown Borough Streetscape

  • Funded by the Dauphin County Infrastructure Bank: Londonderry Township culvert

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HRG and Land Studies to Prepare Paxton Creek TMDL Plan

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Paxton CreekHRG is partnering with LandStudies, Inc., to prepare a TMDL plan for Paxton Creek beginning in the spring of 2017.

The Paxton Creek TMDL Plan will be like a “pollution diet” for the watershed. It will outline how much sediment is in the creek now, identify potential sources of that pollution, and provide strategies for reducing sedimentation to safer levels by a specified deadline. The overall goal of the TMDL plan is to help municipalities within the watershed comply with relevant state and federal regulations while improving the health of Paxton Creek.

HRG was involved in the preparation of the Paxton Creek Watershed TMDL Strategy in December 2015 and is the retained engineer for CRW, Susquehanna Township, and Lower Paxton Township. These experiences provide HRG with historical knowledge of the pollution issues within the watershed that other firms do not have. LandStudies has the state’s first Certified Professional in Municipal Stormwater Management (CPMSM), who is well-versed in writing TMDL plans and assisting municipalities with their stormwater pollution problems.

Read the full press release on Land Studies’ website.

Premier Projects: Dauphin County Honors Middletown Sewer & Cal Ripken Field

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Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. (HRG) is pleased to announce that two of our projects have been selected by Dauphin County in its annual Premier Projects award program.

Since its inception five years ago, the Dauphin County Premier Projects program has honored 23 projects that promote smart growth and spark revitalization throughout the region.  Among this year’s six honorees, HRG provided engineering services for two of them: the replacement of sanitary sewer facilities in Middletown’s downtown business district and the construction of a state-of-the-art youth baseball field at the Harrisburg Boys and Girls Club.

 

Middletown Sewer Replacement

Premier Project 2017: Middletown Sewer Replacement

(Left to right) County Commissioners Mike Pries and George Hartwick,III, HRG Staff Professional Staci Hartz, Middletown Public Works Superintendant Ken Klinepeter, and Tri-County Regional Planning Commission Executive Director Tim Reardon

 

The replacement of Middletown’s sanitary sewer lines played a crucial role in promoting renewed economic development along South Union Street, which is the heart of the borough’s business district.  Some of the sewer mains in this area were close to 100 years old and had deteriorated enough that community and business leaders feared a collapse could endanger streetscape improvements in the area.  This project successfully replaced aging infrastructure and eliminated a cross-connection between the borough’s sanitary and stormwater systems that had caused several sewage overflows near Hoffer Park as well as sanitary sewer back-ups in businesses along South Union Street. Without excess water entering the system during wet weather events, the sewer authority has additional capacity available and is able to extend service to nearby growing communities in Londonderry Township and Lower Swatara Township (which, in turn, can promote further economic development in those areas, as well.)

 

Cal Ripken Senior Youth Development Park

Premier Project; Cal Ripken Field

(Left to right) County Commissioners Mike Pries and George Hartwick,III, HRG Eastern Region Vice President Andrew Kenworthy, Harrisburg Boys and Girls Club Director of Development Blake Lynch, and Tri-County Regional Planning Commission Executive Director Tim Reardon

The Cal Ripken Senior Youth Development Park at the Harrisburg Boys and Girls Club provides recreation and character development opportunities for disadvantaged youth.  The park was funded through the Cal Ripken Senior Foundation, which supports the development of baseball and softball programs in distressed communities.  This initial donation inspired other businesses and community organizations to pledge their own financial support for the athletic facility and its programs, which include Little League, a summer soccer program, speed and agility camps, flag football, and lacrosse.

The facility is located in an economically disadvantaged section of the city and is the only active athletic field available for youth in that area.  As such, it offers kids a safe space for recreation to keep kids busy and engaged in healthy pursuits.

 

ABOUT HRG

Originally founded in 1962, Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. (HRG) has grown to be a nationally ranked Top 500 Design Firm, providing civil engineering, surveying and environmental services to public and private sector clients. The 200-person employee-owned firm currently has office locations in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. For more information, please visit the website at www.hrg-inc.com.

HRG Named NFWF Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund Technical Capacity Provider

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NFWF Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund

As an approved provider for the National Fish and Wildlife Federation’s (NFWF) Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund Technical Capacity Grant Program, Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. (HRG) is now qualified to provide technical services to local governments, nonprofit organizations, and conservation districts for projects that enhance local capacity to more efficiently and effectively restore the habitats and water quality of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.

These technical capacity grants are designed to fill a strategic need or gap for planning in larger watershed restoration or conservation projects. The program is not to be relied upon to implement on-the-ground-work and is not a substitute for securing implementation funding to successfully complete a project.

The Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund awards $8 million to $12 million per year through two competitive grant programs, the Innovative Nutrient and Sediment Reduction Grants (INSR) and Small Watershed Grants (SWG) Programs. Entities interested in applying for funding for these grants should also consider the Technical Capacity Grants Program as an opportunity to better develop project ideas and enhance the technical merits and competitive status of their future INSR or SWG grant applications.

Local governments, conservation districts, or 501(c) non-profit organizations that believe they have an eligible project for this grant program should contact Matt Bonanno, our civil services practice area leader, at mbonnano@hrg-inc.com or 717.564.1121.

Eligible Applicants: Only NFWF-approved Technical Assistance Providers. HRG is approved for five years (through 2021). HRG must complete the application on behalf of the eligible beneficiary.

Eligible beneficiaries: Local governments (including conservation districts) and non-profit 501(c) organization.

Eligible Projects: Technical capacity grant projects are available in the three priority investment areas listed below.

  • Agricultural Conservation: Agricultural conservation for water quality and habitat improvement.
  • Restoration and Community Stewardship: Including watershed planning, habitat restoration, land conservation and land use, public access, diversity initiatives, environmental literacy, and leadership development.
  • Stormwater Management: Including design of regional stormwater servicing models, sustainable financing and management strategies, and targeting of stormwater improvements for water quality, resiliency, and community benefit.

Available Funding: Up to $50,000 per project. Each year, NFWF plans to award approximately 25 grants for a total of $1 million in awards. Total funding for awards will be determined based on the quality and quantity of applications received.

Application Deadline: Grant opportunities are announced throughout the year in three application cycles: agricultural conservation (spring); restoration and community stewardship (summer); and stormwater management (fall).

Unionville Road Honored with Road & Bridge Safety Award

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photo courtesy of the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors

Cranberry Township Wins 2016 Road and Bridge Safety Award

Left to Right: PSATS First Vice President Shirl Barnhart, PHIA Managing Director Jason Wagner, Cranberry Township Chairman Dick Hadley, Cranberry Township project engineer Kelly Maurer, project engineer Jeff Mikesic of Herbert, Rowland, & Grubic, Inc., PennDOT Deputy Secretary for Planning James Ritzman, president of the Springfield Manor Homeowners Association Steve Nalepa, and Cranberry Township Manager of Streets and Properties Bob Howland.

 

Cranberry Township was honored with a 2016 Road and Bridge Safety Award for the recently completed Unionville Road Reconstruction project. Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. (HRG) designed this project for Cranberry Township (Butler County), and Youngblood Paving was the project contractor.

The Road and Bridge Safety Award winners were announced at the annual Pennsylvania Association of Township Supervisors conference on April 19. Winners are selected annually by the Pennsylvania Highway Information Association, the Pennsylvania Association of Township Supervisors, and PennDOT.  Projects are chosen based on their improvement to public safety and their benefit to the local community and its economy.

Prior to this project, Unionville Road had been the site of numerous accidents. Frequently, drivers were traveling too fast and colliding with objects such as utility poles and guiderail.  Cranberry Township moved quickly to improve safety by realigning the roadway to remove a dangerous curve, widening it, and correcting drainage issues.  HRG designed the project in just eight weeks, so that the project could be bid and constructed before the end of the year. There have been no reported accidents at this site since the improvements were constructed, and the township has received positive feedback from its residents on the initiative.

Cranberry Township manager Jerry Andree is proud of the project’s success and says, “Thanks to the support of our residents, we’ve been able to take a very proactive approach to maintaining and improving township roadways. This project has greatly enhanced the safety of drivers in our community, and that is the greatest reward of all.”

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    Unionville Rd before

  • After

    Unionville Rd after

  • Before

    Unionville Road before

  • After

    Unionville Road after
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ABOUT HERBERT, ROWLAND & GRUBIC, INC.

Originally founded in 1962, HRG has grown to be a nationally ranked Top 500 Design Firm, providing civil engineering, surveying and environmental services to public and private sector clients. The 200-person employee-owned firm currently has office locations in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. For more information, please visit our website at www.hrg-inc.com.

 

HRG’s Projects Recognized with 2014 Dauphin County Premier Project Awards

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Two of Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc.’s (HRG) projects received 2014 Dauphin County Premier Project Awards. On Tuesday, January 13, 2015, Dauphin County Commissioners and the Dauphin County Planning Commission held the third annual awards event to recognize improvements that promote smart growth and revitalization within local communities.

HRG is proud to have provided engineering, surveying, and related services throughout the planning, design, and construction of the following award-winning projects.

Derry Township’s recently improved PA 743 and U.S. Route 422 historic square
The Hershey Square, was honored in the “Revitalization” category for projects above $500,000. This large-scale $13 million project is the first phase of a comprehensive plan to upgrade the existing 100-year-old transportation system within the world-renowned Hershey, Pennsylvania. Vast improvements were incorporated to keep pace with the increased traffic flow resulting from this thriving community and popular tourist destination.

Dauphin County Industrial Development Authority’s Solar Farm was recognized in the “Infrastructure” category. This project advances the use of alternative energy in Central Pennsylvania through the creation of one of the largest municipally-owned solar generation farms in Pennsylvania. This initiative is decreasing dependence on fossil fuels and generating revenue to significantly offset the County’s operational costs by 40%.

“We extend our congratulations to Derry Township and Dauphin County Industrial Development Authority for their forward-thinking approach and to improving the wellbeing of their communities,” stated Brian D. Emberg, retired Senior Vice President at HRG. “It was a sincere honor to be a part of these commendable initiatives.”

 

ABOUT HRG

Originally founded in 1962, HRG has grown to be a nationally ranked Top 500 Design Firm, providing civil engineering, surveying and environmental services to public and private sector clients. The 200-person employee-owned firm currently has office locations in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia.

HRG’s Milton Regional Sewer Authority wastewater to energy project was featured in the Standard Journal.

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HRG’s Milton Regional Sewer Authority wastewater to energy project was featured in the Standard Journal. Read about this innovative award-winning initiative.