On December 13, 2001, PENNDOT and the Greenhorne & O'Mara Project Team conducted the second public meeting for the U.S. 219 Improvements Project at the Berlin-Brothersvalley School in Berlin, PA. Approximately 250 residents attended the meeting to observe how the project is progressing.

With the Phase I environmental and engineering studies complete, the Project Team unveiled seven preliminary alternatives for transportation

improvements. The main focus of the meeting was to solicit input from the public concerning these alternatives. Alternatives presented included:

• No-Build (Do Nothing);
• Transportation System Management (TSM) (transit, park-and-ride lots, minor roadway improvements, and signage);
• Upgrade of existing U.S. 219 and the Garrett Shortcut; and
• Four alignments for construction of a new four-lane highway: Corridors A, B, C and D.

The Public Meeting was organized as a workshop to ensure that all questions, concerns, and comments could be addressed by PENNDOT and the Project Team.

Stations were placed in the school's cafeteria that provided information on environmental and engineering resources. These stations used mapping, graphics, and visual techniques to illustrate the preliminary alternatives and how each affects the local communities and the environment.

Continued on page 3

Phase 2 Detailed Studies Begin
- Look for Us in the Area

The Project Team has begun the task of refining the alternatives which are to be studied in detail. In the coming months, PENNDOT and the Greenhorne & O'Mara Project Team will be in the study area performing various environmental and engineering studies. During the winter months, Keller Engineering will be placing stakes in the field for GeoMechanics, Inc. to conduct geotechnical borings and soil investigations. In early spring, the Project Team will be conducting extensive fieldwork along the corridors. You will see scientists from Greenhorne & O'Mara

placing orange flags around wetlands, biologists will be conducting surveys for threatened and endangered species and terrestrial habitat, and Heberling and Associates will commence archaeological investigations. Data collection and investigations will continue through the summer months. The information collected will be evaluated and used to further refine the alternatives. Once the alternatives are refined and environmental impacts are assessed, PENNDOT will conduct the third Public Meeting to present the detailed alternatives for your review and input.