Patch Poll: How Would You Rate the Region's Infrastructure?

Take our poll and give a grade to the roads, bridges and other parts of the public infrastructure.

The American Society of Civil Engineers has released its 2013 Report Card for America's Infrastructure. Every four years, the ASCE grades the nation, state by state, on the condition and performance of the nation’s infrastructure in the form of a school report card—assigning letter grades that are based on physical condition and needed fiscal investments for improvement. Put mildly, the country didn't do so well. America's GPA (grade point average) came in at a D+. The ASCE says some investment is needed to raise that GPA—an estimated $13.6 trillion by 2020. Pennsylvania fared a little better, earning a C- as its grade. The report card indicates the state has 852 high-hazard dams, 5,540 structurally deficent bridges and notes that 57 …

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Margaret French

9:30 pm on Sunday, April 7, 2013

cc-He/she is so uninformed. Pitiful-huh? But unfortunately a lot of the population is. Maybe they will realize it when we are all living like Little House on the Prairie.   more ›

Winter Storm in Cranberry: Closures, Cancellations and Delays

Plus, Cranberry police issue a warning to residents.

Cranberry Police are warning residents of slippery road conditions. The area’s roadways are covered in snow, Public Safety director Jeff Schueler said. State police also shut down Route 28 in both directions from Tarentum to Harmarville for about an hour Wednesday afternoon. Locally, Jason Daily, Cranberry’s director of public works, said crews have been on the roads since 7 a.m. Wednesday preparing and plowing the roads. While the snow has been coming down hard since mid-morning, Daily said he expects to see a break in the precipitation by 3 p.m. He added crews likely will be on the roads playing "catchup" through rush hour. “We’ll be out there as long a necessary for it,” he said. “Right now, we have all of our routes covered.” Daily …

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From the Bog

Waiting For the Snowmen to Arrive

Cranberry’s road warriors look forward to trying out their new winter weapon.

Western Pennsylvania traditionally has two seasons per year—bad weather and construction season.  The transitions usually take place early in November and April. So far at least, 2011’s weather has been kind to Cranberry. Temperatures have been mild, snowfall has been miniscule and black ice is rare. Construction season continues to linger on, notably throughout the Wexford flats area on Route 19. At least for the record, that’s fine. No public official wants to be quoted saying he or she would love to see winter’s fury arrive with its blizzards, drifts, ice storms and bone-chilling cold.  In any other year, that sentiment would go double for Bob Howland, Cranberry’s road crew director, and the employees who work alongside him on the …

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PennDOT Explains New "+" Markings on Roadways

Markings might be unfamiliar to drivers in western Pennsylvania.

As part of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation District 11-0's ongoing commitment to improve traffic safety, new pavement markings are being installed to warn motorists about curves and non-signalized intersections. PennDOT said it has expanded its pavement marking program because it is effective at improving safety and is low-cost. Some of these markings will be unfamiliar to drivers in western Pennsylvania. New pavement markings are being placed prior to selected intersections to caution motorists. When approaching these intersections, drivers will encounter several road markings. First, motorists will see a "SLOW" marking painted on the roadway followed closely by a "+" marking. Depending on the posted speed limit, a second…

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From the Bog

Cranberry at the Crossroads

Private developer to finance key public road projects.

Design reviews, permits and approvals for construction of a mid-size commercial center on the 24-acre site that was once a KOA campground opposite the Marriott Hotel are advancing briskly.  The Cranberry Crossroads development is set to include an XXL Dick’s Sporting Goods store, a four-story office building and some small retail shops. It also is slated to eventually include a gas station and a restaurant. In the renderings, the buildings all look very nice. Even so, they don’t offer anything terribly different from most of the commercial development already in place throughout Cranberry. What’s truly significant about the project actually has less to do with its business tenants than with the access road that will be built as an integral…

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Potholes? Call 1-800-FIX-ROAD

PennDOT encourages motorists to report road problems.

Thud! Groan. The ugly sound of hitting a pothole, followed by the groan of wondering how much damage you just did to your car, leads to the question: Who will fix it and when? If it's a state road, PennDOT will. "With the freeze-thaw cycle taking its annual toll on pavement, PennDOT urges motorists to call 1-800-FIX-ROAD (1-800-349-7623) to report the location of potholes on state roads," according to a PennDOT press release.  "Once notified, PennDOT will work expeditiously to address concerns when weather permits; however, winter services remain the primary focus of maintenance crews at this time of year." PennDOT encourages callers to be specific when they call in about a pothole. "For state routes, callers must report the county, …

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