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Liberty Township identifies
transportation improvement priorities

(11/15) At their November meeting, the Liberty Township Board of Supervisors received a presentation by the Adams County Transportation Planning Organization (ACTPO) soliciting input on the agency's long-range transportation plan, including its list of projects and their priorities.

The staff of the ACTPO told the supervisors that its purpose was to prioritize and allocate federal, state, and local transportation funds for roads, bridges, pedestrian safety, and public transit, according to Comprehensive Planner Laura Neiderer.

The Adams County 2017-2040 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) identifies extended needs and strategies for improving the transportation network of the county, relative to community development and economic growth challenges. The LRTP ensures the county’s continued eligibility for Federal transportation funding.

The long-range transportation plan has an overarching strategy "to address the transportation system in the county and what needs to occur to it to continue to support life here in Adams County as a functioning transportation system," Neiderer said.

Liberty Township tends to have trouble competing for grants with other municipalities, according to Chairman Walter Barlow. "Our projects are not as high priority as other townships," he said.

In response to requests for transportation related infrastructure projects, Barlow suggested turning lanes at the intersection at Route 16 and Steelman Marker Road and another for Route 16 and Ranch Trail. "Those two intersections are Liberty, but Ranch Trail enters into Carroll Valley," he said. Barlow contributed vehicle speed and the lack of turning lanes as a contributor to many incidents. "We’ve had rear end accidents there multiple times over the years," he said that now a "No Left Turn"sign is posted east at Steelman Marker.

Another aspect of the area to consider is the heavy tractor trailer traffic on Route 16, Police Chief Sherri Hansen said. "Because those guys can’t stop on a dime, and if someone decides to put their turn signal on at the last minute and stop in front of them," she said.

Barlow also proposed the creation of a bridge over Friends Creek at $500,000. Not only has there never been a bridge at that location, "it has been recommended to the township for the last thirty years," he said, adding "They’re always made it very clear to us that the responsibility of that particular crossing is part of the township, and we should address it and we just don’t have the resources to address it, never."

The township also looked for assistance in upgrading local roads that go to private developments that currently cannot allow for emergency vehicle access after flooding. Emergency vehicles have "actually gotten swamped" at the narrow roads attempting to respond to a call, according to Barlow.

"Right now, some of those roads are only eight feet wide and they’ve got gullies in them two feet deep," he said. "Saying that it's a private road doesn’t let us off the hook for the safety of our residents," Barlow said. "Those roads are not passable for emergency vehicles… We can’t find any funding at all to help these people," he said.

Neiderer stated the county would review Liberty's needs and consider ways to address some of the critical issues that were not on state owned roads. "Our first priority is the safety and welfare of all our residents," Barlow said.

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