View Full Version : 1.1 Million Footbridge OK'd over PA 944
1.1 Million Footbridge OK'd over PA 944, the area is East of Harrisburg, PA and just south of the Darlington Shelter. Thought this might interest some of my old buddies in the area.
http://www.cumberlink.com/articles/2006/06/10/news/news09-1.txt
Lone Wolf
06-10-2006, 23:28
That's $$ well spent.:rolleyes: Not.
That's $$ well spent.:rolleyes: Not.
I'd like to know why and who approved such an extravagance? I've got some buddies up in the area that never believed this boondoggle would ever get approved. I hope the ATC is not giving out any money on this. I don't even remember this crossing, has it gotten so dangerous that it needed to be? Has someone died crossing here?
I'd like to know why and who approved such an extravagance? I've got some buddies up in the area that never believed this boondoggle would ever get approved. I hope the ATC is not giving out any money on this. I don't even remember this crossing, has it gotten so dangerous that it needed to be? Has someone died crossing here?I remember it as just a two lane road through fields. Nothing special.
If they want to build a footbridge over road, I recommend the Taconic Parkway in NY. That was a bugger to cross for me. OF course, it isn't in PA :D
Thanks Frosty, I figured it had to be somewhat of a typical crossing. I'm all for dangerous crossings being made safe, even at such a high expense. And you are correct about a lot of other road crossings up and down the AT that could use an elevated, or tunnel, road crossing. This discussion and thread also makes me wonder just how many in our hiking community that has been hit by vehicles at any of the many crossings? This kind of information should be made available to hikers, just as brake-in data for parking areas used by section/day hikers. I still believe the AT Trail Clubs could keep up with such data, some already do, and post it at the ATC site. If I could design their site I would make it the most user friendly and strictly geared for hikers who need quality info quickly. They could break it down into sections based on the Clubs, giving Weather Info, Crime stats (both property and personal), Road Crossing dangers, Flood hazards, time tables,or at least links, on local transportation. I would have a simple, but limited, note board that hikers could leave notes to others letting them know of their status/location. This for the many people who don't have email accounts but can occasionally get on line. This would also allow one posting for everybody, security for the hiker would be the only concern. Man, I'm sorry for the rambling, got way carried away here.
Rain Man
06-11-2006, 09:22
Who do you think pushes road construction projects?
As "Deep Throat" advised Woodward and Bernstein-- "follow the money."
Rain Man
.
Completely unecessary at that location.
hikerjohnd
06-11-2006, 19:05
I can only assume this was discussed during city council (or county??) meetings - where was the opposition during the planning? It is easy to complain about the decision after the fact...
Cookerhiker
06-11-2006, 22:12
I had to scratch my head at this one trying to remember what was challenging about that crossing. I agree there are many road crossings with greater need like the Taconic mentioned above. Even within PA, what about Rt. 30 outside Caledonia or 248 by Lehigh Gap?
I guess Rt. 944 is in Shuster's district.
There is basically nothing challenging about that road crossing. At least nothing that requires such an extravagent footbridge....30 would be a better place IMHO.
Kevin A. Boyce
06-12-2006, 15:18
Frosty... maybe you are thinking the Pallisades Parkway down by Harriman? When you cross the Taconic, you actually go under it, at a pretty nice road crossing that is safe and and has a very wide shoulder, it's just .5 mile east of the RPH Shelter. This was put in within the last 10years... Maybe even more, I know it has been there for quite a while. I know down by the Pallisades/Harriman area there is one or two nasty road crossings that make it seem like you could be in a human version of the game Frogger!
Both the Taconic and Pallisades look about the same, built about the same amount of time like alot of the parkways in and around the NYC metro area...
I remember it as just a two lane road through fields. Nothing special.
If they want to build a footbridge over road, I recommend the Taconic Parkway in NY. That was a bugger to cross for me. OF course, it isn't in PA :D
You are probably right. From my vantage it was just a four-land divided parkway with cars zipping by. I couldn't tell the highway name from where I was crossing but know the taconic parkway was up there. Forgot that the Palisades parkway also went up through there. It was close to the river, so it must have been the Palisades parkway.
FROGGER is the exact way I felt, too.
Frosty... maybe you are thinking the Pallisades Parkway down by Harriman? When you cross the Taconic, you actually go under it, at a pretty nice road crossing that is safe and and has a very wide shoulder, it's just .5 mile east of the RPH Shelter. This was put in within the last 10years... Maybe even more, I know it has been there for quite a while. I know down by the Pallisades/Harriman area there is one or two nasty road crossings that make it seem like you could be in a human version of the game Frogger!
Both the Taconic and Pallisades look about the same, built about the same amount of time like alot of the parkways in and around the NYC metro area...
Cookerhiker
06-12-2006, 21:22
Frosty... maybe you are thinking the Pallisades Parkway down by Harriman? When you cross the Taconic, you actually go under it, at a pretty nice road crossing that is safe and and has a very wide shoulder, it's just .5 mile east of the RPH Shelter. This was put in within the last 10years... Maybe even more, I know it has been there for quite a while. I know down by the Pallisades/Harriman area there is one or two nasty road crossings that make it seem like you could be in a human version of the game Frogger!
Both the Taconic and Pallisades look about the same, built about the same amount of time like alot of the parkways in and around the NYC metro area...
Yeah, I made the same mistake Kevin. I meant to say Palisades Interstate Pkwy. I should have known - I hiked across the Taconic twice last year.
If anyone gets a picture of it when completed, post it here. Although, it may take forever to finish.
BlackCloud
06-13-2006, 07:13
I hope the ATC is not giving out any money on this.
Don't worry, the ATC won't be giving any of it's $ for actual trail building/maintenance.....
weathercarrot
06-13-2006, 11:57
Until the change was made around 1999, the Taconic was probably the most dangerous crossing on the AT. The Pallisades is much safer, since there's lots of good visibility for the hiker. 944 is certainly debatable. I can see why it's not a big deal for many, but there's a rise just east of the crossing, and if a hiker is not paying close attention, a car can be very close before you see it. I would put it in the top five most dangerous crossings on the trail, because of the combination of bad visibility and how fast they drive through there.
However, that doesn't necessarily mean I would support a bridge.
Usually "AT Crossing" signs are placed on the roadway. But, I believe motorist pay more attention to "Deer Crossing" signs. On a lighter note, maybe speed bumps are the solution.
BlackCloud
06-14-2006, 07:23
no speedbumps; nobody's even been hit yet!
If they want to build a footbridge over road, I recommend the Taconic Parkway in NY. That was a bugger to cross for me. OF course, it isn't in PA :D
Frosty, you're thinking of the Palisades Parkway. The trail goes under the Taconic.
Edit: Sorry - didn't read the entire thread. And BTW, the parkway can be a bitch to cross at rush hour.