By A. Stringer
High Real Estate Group promised the Manheim Twp. Commissioners that, if the Commissioners approved the shopping center that HREG wants to build across from Long’s Park, that HREG would get federal grant money to rebuild the Rt. 30/Harrisburg Pike interchange. Consequently, the Commissioners gave HREG a conditional approval, along with a zoning change to accommodate the shopping center. The Commissioners also gave HREG a flood plain waiver that would allow High to build closer to the Conestoga Creek than the township flood plain ordinance permits.
Responding to a request from one of the Commissioners, Sen. Specter announced that $2 million had been earmarked for the Rt. 30/Harrisburg Pike interchange “to add lanes and eliminate traffic signals to reduce delays that would likely ensue if a proposed $100 million shopping center is built near there”. A month later, Rep. Pitts called the reconstruction of this interchange a “pork barrel” project and rejected the earmark.
Last year, the Lancaster County Transportation Coordinating Committee applied for more than $21 million in federal transportation funds to replace the same interchange, but the grant request was rejected. A spokesman for High Real Estate responded by saying that “there are other means to pay for the roadwork needed around the planned shopping center.”
One of these “other means” was made public on Monday, June 14, when the Transportation Technical Advisory Committee backed a proposal to apply for a grant from a federal appropriations transportation bill. The grant request would include $20 million for the replacement of the Rt. 30/ Harrisburg Pike interchange. This will be the most expensive item by far in the grant request.
This same interchange was rebuilt with over $45 million state taxpayer dollars less than 9 years ago and is in good condition. A graduate engineer told me, “I am very tired of the way this state wastes taxpayer money on powerful and politically connected people/entities. If PennDOT can’t plan major interchange improvements more than 9 years out, as in the case of the Route 30/Harrisburg Pike interchange, it doesn’t say much about their abilities. Redoing that interchange after the funds already spent on it is a total waste of taxpayer money, more needed for bridge and other maintenance work”
Citizens who oppose the rebuilding of the Rt. 30/Harrisburg Pike interchange, in order to provide the infrastructure required by the MT Commissioners for HREG’s proposed shopping center, should attend the LCTCC meeting on June 28, 12:00 noon, in the County Office Building at 150 N. Queen St., Binn’s Park entrance.
