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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 18, 2008
Contact: Tracy Polovick
Coordinator of Communications and Outreach
(717) 787-8524
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Vance Thanks Turnpike Commission for Addressing Road Closure Concerns

HARRISBURG – Sen. Pat Vance (R-Cumberland/York) today expressed appreciation for the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission's vote to keep Center Road open.

"I applaud the commission for seeing the value in keeping this road open," Vance said. "I'm hopeful potential problems in the future will be avoided with better communication. Since this is the first of a multi-phase project to widen the turnpike in Cumberland County, more forethought will be very useful when making decision in the future."

In early March municipal leaders learned the commission planned to close three Lower Mifflin Township roads over the turnpike simultaneously as part of a construction project to widen the highway to six lanes between the Carlisle interchange and Blue Mountain Tunnel. Local officials had thought the road closures would be staggered. Once the concurrent closure plan was discovered, elected, emergency and school officials lobbied for the commission to reconsider.

Doubling Gap Road (Rt. 233) and Middle Road were closed yesterday. They are expected to reopen in the fall when Center Road will close.

"While staggering the road closures will increase the cost of the project, no price can be put on the safety of residents," Vance said. "When I first learned of the closure plan a couple of weeks ago, my greatest concerns were related to delayed emergency response and transportation problems for school children."

Vance's district includes all of Cumberland County and Carroll, Fairview, Franklin, Monaghan, Warrington and Washington townships and Dillsburg, Franklintown and Wellsville boroughs in York County.