Streetscape started
By Tony Kozuch; Item Writer © Hamburg Item

The Hamburg community has always taken great pride in their downtown shopping district. When it was announced that Our TownFoundation ( OTF) was initiating a streetscape enhancement project, people knew their town would become even more distinctive. Now, after over two years of anticipation, the project is finally under way.·April 25, OTF and Heim Construction Company, Pottsville, held a groundbreaking ceremony to signify the beginning of construction. The work will begin on the east side of Fourth Street starting at Pine Street working towards the American House on both sides of the street. Crews will then work on bot sides of State Street toward Third Street, finishing near Primrose Alley. The improvements planned to the streetscape along this stretch are many.
There will be new curbing, historic streetlights, traffic light poles, new signage and more, said OTF Program Manager Deena Kershner. "There will also be a four-foot pedestrian path that will be made of stamped concrete and look like slate," she said. The project would extend even further, but OTF lacked the funding to do more.
"We went as far as dollars would allow," Kershner explained. The price tag of the overall project as it stands currently is $1.3 million. All of this is being paid for by grants from several different organizations. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), Representative Dave Argall, the Department of Community and Economic Development, along with many others, have made contributions.
With funding now available and with PennDOT's approval, there should be few setbacks for the project. If all goes as planned, construction will be completed sometime in mid- October. But with construction to be set into high gear, some are concerned that the downtown streets could become a hassle to navigate. "I don't foresee any major parking problems," Kershner explained. Parking will be eliminated in the half-block that construction crews are working on, but Burkey & Driscoll Funeral Home on Fourth Street will allow their parking lot to be used any day there isn't a funeral. Because of this gesture, most parking problems should be avoided, explained Kershner.
As far as traffic goes, there have been several options presented. "Originally, PennDOT wanted to use Jersey barriers (large concrete dividers), but we fought it and now we will be using traffic cones," said Kershner.
With the cones, workers now have the flexibility to move them when they are finished, as opposed to the concrete barriers being in place for long periods of time. "Hopefully, traffic won't be severe," said Kershner.
Another concern has been the access to local businesses during construction. Kershner assures nothing will be affected, though. "Businesses will remain open as usual," she said. "That was our number one priority, to try and accommodate business owners." In the end, traffic and parking concerns will be minor in relation to the finished project. "It's a temporary inconvenience for a permanent fix," explained Kershner. "We need to keep a positive outlook. This is a good thing for the community as a whole."

Contact Tony Kozuch at tkozuch@berksmontnews.com.