Press Release
PUBLIC INVITED TO CHOICE OF TWO MEETINGS ON ROUTE 23 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY

-- Both meetings will run from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. August 27 meeting is at Calvary Church. August 28 meeting is at Garden Spot High School. --

HARRISBURG (August 21, 2002) – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PENNDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in partnership with the County of Lancaster will hold their first public meetings for the PA Route 23 Environmental Impact Study on Tuesday, August 27, and Wednesday, August 28. “We want to reach as many people as we can,” said Barry Hoffman, PENNDOT District Engineer for south central Pennsylvania. “We’re going to hold the same public meeting on two separate days at two different locations along the Route 23 corridor so that we can make it more convenient for people to attend.”

The first meeting is set for Tuesday, August 27, at Calvary Church at 1051 Landis Valley Road, Manheim Township. The second meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, August 28, at the Garden Spot High School at 669 East Main Street in New Holland Borough. Both meetings will run from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. and follow an “open house” format. With an open house format, there is no formal presentation. Instead, people may attend the meetings at their leisure anytime between 6 o’clock when the doors open and 9 o’clock when the meeting ends. A video presentation will run repeatedly throughout the evening and provide an overview of the Route 23 environmental impact study. Representatives of PENNDOT and the study team will be on hand to answer questions and discuss the different displays that illustrate the current status of the study and the alternatives that have been developed to relieve traffic congestion and improve safety on the Route 23 corridor in northeastern Lancaster County. The information, materials, mapping and handouts presented at each meeting will be the same.

“We encourage all those who are interested in improving the Route 23 corridor to attend one of these meetings,” said Hoffman. “We want people to review the extensive amount of data that has been assembled, we want them to examine the different alternatives that have been developed to improve traffic flow and safety, and we want them to give us their feedback. This exchange of information will help us focus on the best possible transportation and land use solution for Route 23.”

In addition to viewing detailed historic, farmland and environmental mapping, traffic simulations, transportation and land use data, and information on the public participation activities that are underway, those attending the meetings will also see large display boards depicting in greater detail the alternatives that were identified and carried forward from the previous PA 23 Corridor Study. These alternatives include:

• Transportation System Management (TSM)/Transit Alternative – This alternative consists of spot improvements at select areas identified during the preliminary studies. These improvements focus on adding shoulders and sidewalks along portions of Route 23, selected intersections improvements, and the addition of shoulders on selected sided roads. The transit component includes increasing bus frequency and providing additional bus shelters.
• Widening Alternative, Option 1 – This alternative includes adding a center turn lane on Route 23 throughout the study area, and shoulders along most of the Route 23 corridor, except near Leola, New Holland, and Blue Ball. The TSM/Transit improvements are also included.
• Widening Alternative, Option 2 – This alternative includes a center turn lane and shoulders on Route 23 between Route 30 and Route 322. The TSM/Transit improvements are also included.
• Bareville Collector Alternative – This alternative follows the Goat Path in the western section of the study area, connects to Route 23 near Bareville, and follows the Widening Alternative, Option 1 along Route 23 through New Holland. The TSM/Transit improvements are also included.
• Railroad Alternative (5-lane North Option) – This alternative includes the Bareville Connector at the west, and follows a new alignment north of the existing Norfolk Southern rail line through New Holland. The TSM/Transit improvements are also included.
• Railroad Alternative (5-lane South Option) – This alternative includes the Bareville Connector on the west and follows a new alignment south of the Norfolk Southern rail line through New Holland. The TSM/Transit improvements are also included in this alternative.
• Railroad Alternative (2-Lane, One-Way Pair Option) – This alternative includes the Bareville Connector o the west and a new two-lane alignment north of the Norfolk Southern rail line. This new railroad alignment would carry two lanes moving eastbound, while existing Route 23 would carry two lanes westbound. The TSM/Transit improvements are also included.
• Southern Alternative – This alternative is located south of Route 23 and follows the Goat Path in the western section of the study area and a new alignment south of Bareville and New Holland. The TSM/Transit improvements are also included.
• No-Build Alternative – This alternative maintains the existing transportation system and includes highway and transit projects currently scheduled for Route 23.

For more information on the Route 23 Environmental Impact Study, visit the study’s website at

www.paroute23.com

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