PennDOT‑administered grant funds Dunmore plan to resurface Keystone Industrial Park road

Dunmore Borough Council on Jan. 12 heard a public presentation from GPI consulting engineers and PennDOT officials on the Keystone Industrial Park Roadway Improvement Project, a federally funded effort administered by PennDOT and supported by Appalachian Regional Commission funding.

Frank Summa of GPI introduced the design team and turned the presentation over to project manager Andy Howe, who told the council the existing pavement shows “fatigue, cracking, and potholes” and that the project would improve ride quality, clarify edge delineation for pedestrians and cyclists, and provide a bus shelter near the State Police barracks. Howe said the design calls for a 2‑inch mill and overlay from O'Neill Highway east to the Dunmore/Throop borough line, select full‑depth repairs, five‑foot shoulder reconstruction in the eastern corridor and updates to guide rail to meet current warrants.

All proposed work is within the existing legal right‑of‑way, Howe said, so no property takings are anticipated; the road will remain open during construction with short‑term traffic patterns and flagging. He gave a preliminary construction estimate of roughly $1.3 million and said the team anticipates advertising the project for bids in October with construction expected to begin the following construction season and extend through 2027.

Councilmember Janet Brier asked whether the scope could be extended into Throop. Summa and Howe said work beyond borough limits would be "complicated" and noted PennDOT design criteria allow up to about 30% additional reconstruction if extra funds become available. Brier also asked whether traffic signals at O'Neill Highway would change; Howe replied signals would not be altered except as required for traffic control during construction.

April Hannon of PennDOT said this is a locally sponsored project with PennDOT administering the federal funding and handling advertisement through its ECMS system; she confirmed Dunmore will need to approve a contractor award as the local sponsor. On the grant funding, a council member referenced “a grant of 1.6 plus of $200,000 state grant,” language used during the meeting; GPI provided the $1.3 million estimate for construction costs.

During the public comment period, resident William Torbeck said the project “will spur a lot of economic growth” and welcomed the investment in the industrial park. Council closed the public hearing by unanimous vote; no contract award was made at the meeting. The borough will receive PennDOT bid packages after advertisement and will be asked to approve a recommended contractor as part of the standard local‑sponsor process.