Environmental work holding up West College Avenue project

An environmental study of potential problems at an old service station on West College Avenue has delayed the start of the project to extend it toward the M&M/Mars factory. At its meeting on April 15, Elizabethtown Borough Council authorized spending $81,000 -- which was not budgeted in the $3.3 million project -- to determine the extent of any issues.

A prior environmental study concluded that underground storage tanks at the service station might have caused problems. It did not reveal the extent of, or even if there were, problems. The additional money that Borough Council authorized spending will pay for a second phase study that will do just that.

The work is required by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, and the borough must follow regulations from the state Department of Environmental Protection.

For many months, the borough has been hoping to put the second phase of the West College Avenue project (estimated to be $2.5 million of the entire $3.3 million cost) out to bid. This latest issue will delay any construction by at least 12 weeks, with perhaps a completion date by the fall of 2012.

To say that Borough Council is unhappy about this latest twist is an understatement, especially as we look at such a large unbudgeted expense. Yet, we all realize that we must forge ahead. The West College Avenue extension, and the renovated  intersection at Market Street, will be a significant improvement for Elizabethtown.

We also must thank M&M/Mars for being a great corporate citizen by allowing traffic to cut across its driveway/parking lot on Bainbridge Street. During the first phase of the project, completed in September 2008, traffic was diverted from Bainbridge Street to West High Street, causing significant backups and delays at times.

Thanks to M&M/Mars, traffic can flow relatively normally while the second phase is constructed.

E-town wins Governor's Award for Local Government Excellence

Elizabethtown recently won a 2009 Governor's Award for Local Government Excellence for the public-private partnership between the borough and Mars Snackfood US to extend West College Avenue and the $70 million expansion of the chocolate factory's manufacturing plant.

The borough picked up the award at the 13th annual Governor's Award ceremony April 15 at the Farm Show Complex and Expo Center in Harrisburg. Elizabethtown was one of 11 government entities from across the state to be recognized for their foward-thinking approaches to revitalize towns, create jobs and improve the quality of life for residents.

Elizabethtown's award came under the category of Promoting Community and Economic Revitalization. The program for the ceremony indicates that the borough supported the expansion at the chocolate plant for the following reasons:

• To maintain a major employer in the borough and secure the most-productive use of a large, low-impact industrial facility in downtown Elizabethtown for generations to come.
• To create a new entrance to downtown Elizabethtown and a "second square" that serves as a conduit to Mars Snackfood US, Elizabethtown College and Masonic Village.
• Spark the beginning of major economic development efforts in downtown Elizabethtown

This project is one of the most significant for Elizabethtown in recent memory, especially given that Mars' main competitor nearby announced last year that it is moving chocolate manufacturing out of the United States. For a major corporation to make such a significant investment in this community is a boon to our tax base and our efforts to boost the local economy.

As noted in other posts, the second phase of the West College Avenue project, which will include the construction of a bridge and connect with Market Street, is on target to go out for bids this summer. When that is complete, and the renovations of the Amtrak train station are done, expect Elizabethtown to become a force to be reckoned with in western Lancaster County.