Smithfield Gateway Progress?? (contractors, offices, campus)

[newaccount]

Seriously, it's ridiculous how slow the 611 project is going.

[fisheye]

Originally Posted by newaccount

Seriously, it's ridiculous how slow the 611 project is going.

I blame most of that on our top management in PennDOT. They messed around with that one small bridge, that is about 25 feet wide and 100 feet long, for two years and that is only one side of Route 611! Heck they probably could have installed a preformed concrete culvert to replace the bridge in just a few weeks.

What really annoys many of us is the lack of coordinated effort to complete that job. If is was up to me I would fire all the managers in Division Five and rehire managers with experience in road construction from other states like NJ and OH. But it isn't up to me. I do know that our environmental laws have doubled down recently; but it is still no excuse for them to operated like the do. However, I admit; that I am not in their shoes.

By the way; they removed the old concrete road from under the northbound lanes. They have not removed it from the southbound lanes. Plus they still have to rebuild the southbound bridge section. At the rate they are going they will drag out that 2 mile renovation for four years!

[jtab4994]

Originally Posted by MaverickDD

Don't hold your breath, but progress is reported: Smithfield Gateway Project Work Starts https://www.brctv13.com/news/local-n...ct-work-starts

I'm just glad that intersection is not part of my daily commute anymore and my son graduated from ESU already. But my wife goes through there almost every day.


I do expect short-cut traffic to route themselves past my house while the project is ongoing, like they did before the Marshalls Creek bypass was complete. Oh well, that's progress.

[quiet life]

^^^That is my commute to get to NJ. The longer the delay the better for me. When it does happen, I'll wave at you along that short cut through Shawnee.

[MaverickDD]

Breaking Ground? So says State Representative Rosemary Brown: https://www.facebook.com/RepRosemaryBrown/posts/2778424055525381? (posted September 9, 2019)

"This past Thursday, I attended the ground breaking ceremony for the Smithfield Gateway Project. The project will include roughly 120 acres in Smithfield Township, including the old Mosier’s Dairy Farm. The new development is slated to include retail space, a grocery store and upscale apartments. The old farmhouse at Mosier’s Dairy, upon my suggestion, is planned on being preserved and transformed into a farm-to-table restaurant. Elements from the farm will also be incorporated into Middle Smithfield’s Cultural and Community Center which broke ground recently."

"The project also includes much overdue and needed road and safety improvements to our Rt. 209 and Marshall’s Creek intersection, which will include 5 lanes, as well as a loop road which will go through the back of the farm property to Rt. 447. State grants have assisted with this roadwork, however, there is also over $6 million dollars being invested in the improvements through the developer. This project is working to revitalize our area, offerer more services, and much needed improvements along a major corridor. The improvement mode is contagious and I am looking forward to encouraging and assisting in further improvements and revitalization moving north on Seven Bridge Road and into our Marshall’s Creek Village section/Eagle Valley-209/Middle Smithfield main corridors."

[quiet life]

I seen some activity on that corridor near the Dunkin Donuts when going to work. Near the intersection of 447 & 209. I am guessing they were doing traffic counts because there was just a flagger and one other person out there. Yesterday(11/1020) I seen a crew cutting down branches of trees going towards the intersection of 209 and that turn to Shawnee. Maybe they are preparing to move utility poles to widen the road? IDK.

[jtab4994]

There is a tree crew trimming trees along BMF Road in Shawnee today. I have to guess that's nothing to do with Smithfield Gateway. That project must be on hold, probably but not necessarily due to covid-19.

[jtab4994]

I meant to post on this topic after I saw the WNEP story on Monday. Yes, they have finally started digging/leveling ground/earth moving for Smithfield Gateway, on the side of 209 where Odd Lot and Dairy Queen are. Nothing happening on the old Mosier Farm/Dunkin Donuts side of the highway just yet, that I can see.

https://www.wnep.com/article/news/lo...0-eb25db1bae91

[quiet life]

Originally Posted by jtab4994

I meant to post on this topic after I saw the WNEP story on Monday. Yes, they have finally started digging/leveling ground/earth moving for Smithfield Gateway, on the side of 209 where Odd Lot and Dairy Queen are. Nothing happening on the old Mosier Farm/Dunkin Donuts side of the highway just yet, that I can see.

https://www.wnep.com/article/news/lo...0-eb25db1bae91

You beat me to the punch. I was going to post the same article. I see all the construction going on near Odd Lots so it seems to be moving forward.


"Developers say the project is being done in phases, with the first building scheduled to open to the public in 2023."

Pretty ambitious. Going to be a mess once they start working on 209 but it should be better commute once it's done.

[jtab4994]

At least there should be more people telecommuting in the near future, so fewer cars on the road...?