Route 39 plan finalized

At a public meeting held last Thursday, Dec. 7, the Village of Linglestown Committee finalized the planned route of a bypass between Linglestown Road and Blue Mountain Parkway. The route is nearly identical to the one presented at a public meeting held in November.

From Linglestown Road, the new roadway will begin at a planned roundabout to be located between the two firehouses, and end near a home located on Blue Mountain Parkway owned by Doris Rowe.

Currently, significant traffic congestion occurs at the present intersection located at the western edge of the village. The planned bypass would replace the current intersection.

The bypass, or loop road, is part of the Route 39 corridor improvement project scheduled to begin construction next spring.

During the meeting, members of Rowe family argued that other options are available that wouldn’t go through Doris Rowe’s yard.

Village committee members, the project engineer and a state spokesman explained that other proposals either required tearing down homes, or resulted in an unacceptable meeting point for the bypass and Blue Mountain Parkway.

The Rowe family indicated that they might contest the taking of land. But, a lawyer who is member of the village committee said Lower Paxton Township should easily prevail in an eminent domain case.

The dispute with the Rowe family isn’t expected to delay the start of the project next spring.

Village committee chairman Eric Kessler said great care was taken to avoid displacing homes and businesses by the Route 39 project.

Barry Hoffman, a retired PennDOT official who lives near Harrisburg Christian School, applauded the Linglestown plan for having minimal impact on private properties.
---------------------
Related postings:
- Bucks County township goes with roundabout
- Linglestown on the radio
- Committee queried on Rt. 39 project
- Meeting held on planned Rt. 39, village upgrades