Public comment welcome on regional transportation issues

Residents in an eight-county area of central Pennsylvania are invited to give their input and share transportation issues to help shape the region’s next major transportation plan.

The SEDA-Council of Governments (SEDA-COG) Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is updating its Long Range Transportation Plan which proposes practical solutions to transportation safety, maintenance, congestion, and mobility needs for Clinton, Columbia, Juniata, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder, and Union counties.

The plan identifies transportation needs, goals, projects, and policies for a 20-year planning horizon, and is required to be updated at five-year intervals. The plan establishes the vision and objectives that guide public decisions affecting transportation facilities and services in the region.

Jim Saylor, director of SEDA-COG’s Transportation Planning program, said one of the best ways the public can provide input is through SEDA-COG’s online transportation survey.

“The survey only takes about 10 minutes to complete but it provides valuable information for us. Are there issues we’ve missed? Does what we’ve gathered reflect your experience?” Saylor said. “This the first time we’ve asked for input using a tool like this and it will help us complete the plan and better focus on identifying transportation needs.”

The survey is open now through March 3 and can be found at a website dedicated to the plan: https://lrtp-seda-cog.hub.arcgis.com/

The website also features an interactive map that shows proposed projects, traffic volumes and congestion, bridge and pavement conditions, freight generators, safety problem areas, flooding and rockfall prone areas, and railroads.

Don Kiel, senior principal program analyst for SEDA-COG’s Transportation program, is leading the planning effort.

“We’ve added new data that people can look at and to help focus feedback on the region’s transportation system and proposed new approaches to ranking our regional transportation projects for priority funding. We are employing new and better data that is important in selecting or prioritizing projects,” Kiel said.

Additional public outreach will occur from March to April, along with plan finalization. The finalized plan will be up for adoption at the May public MPO meeting.

As a community and economic development agency, SEDA-COG enhances the quality of life and economic advantage for residents and businesses in 11 central Pennsylvania counties through its vital partnerships and initiatives. SEDA-COG also is an advocate for the interests of its communities at the state and federal levels. For more information, visit www.seda-cog.org.

Request for Proposal – West End Flood Mitigation Study

The County of Columbia is seeking proposals from firms that wish to provide engineering services to undertake a flood mitigation study near, in and surrounding the known as the “West End” of the Town of Bloomsburg, Columbia County. This study should include an investigation of the existing conditions, as well as potential flood resiliency and mitigation projects that can take in and near the floodway. This project has been financed by grants
from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Commonwealth Financing Authority and the Department of Community and Economic Development.

The County is working in cooperation with SEDA-Council of Governments (SEDA-COG) to solicit Professional Service Providers to undertake the study. The Request for Proposals (RFP) describes the project, the anticipated scope of services, the required consultant expertise and experience, and the information that must be included in the proposal. Failure to submit information in accordance with the RFP requirements and procedures may be cause for disqualification.

A mandatory preproposal meeting will be held at the Sawmill Road complex: Large Meeting Room, 702 Sawmill Road, Bloomsburg, PA 17815. Entrance for the large meeting room is around the back of the building. The meeting will take place on Tuesday, March 2,2021, at 1 :00 PM, subject to COVID-19 restrictions. There is a limit of two (2) attendees from each firm to the in-person meeting and each attendee must follow all required COVID-19 protocols in place at the time of the meeting. You MUST register for the mandatory preproposal meeting by contacting Teri Provost via email at:
tprovost@seda-cog.org or by phone at 570-524-4491 ext 7253. If we are unable to conduct this meeting in-person due to COVID-19 restrictions, a link to attend a virtual meeting via RingCentral will be distributed to all registered applicants by email at least 7 days prior to the in-person meeting, announcing the change and including instructions on how to participate in the virtual session.

The County of Columbia will evaluate written proposals on the basis of thoroughness, completeness, content, experience, and capacity. The County and/or its Agent will likely conduct interviews with the top ranked proposers.

Proposals will be accepted until 12:00 PM. prevailing time on Thursday, March 18,2021.

The proposals will be opened at 2:00 PM prevailing time, at which time they will be publicly opened and read aloud at the regularly scheduled Board of Commissioners meeting. Proposals shall be on the forms required, sealed and clearly marked on the outside, “Engineering Services Proposal- West End,” and submitted to Mr. David Witchey, Chief Clerk at 11 West Main Street, Main Street County Annex, Bloomsburg, PA 17815. If you are mailing a proposal via United States Postal Service (USPS), please mail to: Mr. David
Witchey, Chief Clerk, Columbia County, PO Box 380, Bloomsburg, PA 17815.

Proposals that are faxed or e-mailed cannot be accepted.


 

Request for Proposal – Fishing Creek Flood Mitigation Study

The County of Columbia is seeking proposals from firms that wish to provide engineering services to undertake a flood mitigation study for the Fishing Creek Watershed in Columbia County. This study should include an investigation of the existing conditions, as well as potential flood resiliency and mitigation projects in the watershed. This project has been financed by grants from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Commonwealth Financing Authority and the Department of Community and Economic Development.

The County is working in cooperation with SEDA-Council of Governments (SEDA-COG) to solicit Professional Service Providers to undertake the study. The Request for Proposals (RFP) describes the project, the anticipated scope of services, the required consultant expertise and experience, and the information that must be included in the proposal. Failure to submit information in accordance with the RFP requirements and procedures may be cause for disqualification.

A mandatory preproposal meeting will be held at the Sawmill Road Complex: Large Meeting Room, 702 Sawmill Road, Bloomsburg, PA 17815. Entrance for the large meeting room is around the back of the building. The meeting will take place on Tuesday, March 2, 2021, at 2:00 PM, subject to COVID-19 restrictions. There is a limit of two (2) attendees from each firm to the in-person meeting and each attendee must follow all required COVID-19 protocols in place at the time of the meeting. You MUST register for the mandatory pre proposal meeting by contacting Teri Provost via email at:
tprovost@seda-cog.org or by phone at 570-524-4491 ext 7253. If we are unable to conduct this meeting in-person due to COVID-19 restrictions, a link to attend a virtual meeting via RingCentral will be distributed to all registered applicants by email at least 7 days prior to the in-person meeting, announcing the change and including instructions on how to participate in the virtual session.

The County of Columbia will evaluate written proposals on the basis of thoroughness, completeness, content, experience, and capacity. The County and/or its Agent will likely conduct interviews with the top ranked proposers.

Proposals will be accepted until 12:00 PM. prevailing time on Thursday, March 18,2021.

The proposals will be opened at 2:00 PM prevailing time on Thursday, March 18,2021, at which time they will be publicly opened and read aloud at the regularly scheduled Board of Commissioner’s meeting located at Sawmill Road complex: Large Meeting Room, 702 Sawmill Road, Bloomsburg, PA 17815.

Proposals shall be on the forms required, sealed, and clearly marked on the outside, “Engineering Services Proposal- Fishing Creek,” and submitted to Mr. David Witchey at 11 West Main Street, Main Street County Annex, Bloomsburg, PA 17815. If you are mailing a proposal via United States Postal Service (USPS), please mail to: Mr. David Witchey, Chief Clerk, Columbia County, PO Box 380, Bloomsburg, PA 17815.

Proposals that are faxed or e-mailed cannot be accepted.


Public Notice – Union County CDBG Budget Modification

RUN DATE: February 5, 2021
CONTACT: Rachel Radel, (570) 524-4491 ext. 7236

PUBLIC NOTICE

The Union County Commissioners intend to submit a budget modification for the FFY 2019 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program to the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (PA DCED). The Union County Commissioners will hold a public hearing to receive comments on the budget modification on February 18, 2021, at 11:00 AM. Keeping with federal and state guidelines regarding COVID 19, this hearing will take place as a virtual video web and tele conference. The public is invited to observe and participate in the hearing as follows:

To access via web video, type the link: https://meetings.ringcentral.com/j/8383951780. To access via telephone dial +1 (470) 869-2200 and enter Meeting ID: 838 395 1780. The hearing will be recorded. The hearing platform is accessible to persons with disabilities. If accommodations are needed for those with special needs related to language, sight, or hearing, please call (570) 524-4491 at least five days in advance. As an alternative, Union County will accept written comments on the proposed modification until 12:00 PM. on Monday, March 1, 2021. Written comments can be emailed to mgallagherlong@seda-cog.org or mailed to SEDA-COG at 201 Furnace Road, Lewisburg, PA 17837. The Union County Commissioners will then consider the approval of the modification request during their regularly scheduled meeting on March 2, 2021 at 2 PM.

The modified budget is as follows:

FFY 2019
Limestone (Bull) Run Area Flood Resiliency:
Current Budget – $89,707; Modification $(89,707); Modified Budget $0

Emergency Notification:
Current Budget – $0; Modification $89,707 ; Modified Budget $89,707

The Union County Commissioners will accept written public comments on the budget modification until Monday, March 1, 2021 at 12:00 PM. Union County will make every effort to make all programs and activities accessible to the learning, mobility, vision, hearing, and language-impaired persons. Therefore, if you are a person with a disability or limited English proficiency, and require an auxiliary aid, service, or accommodations to participate please contact Rachel Radel at SEDA-COG, 201 Furnace Road, Lewisburg, PA 17837, rradel@seda-cog.org, (570) 524-4491, or 1-800-332-6701, 1-800-654-5984 TTY, 1-800-654-5988 TDD to discuss how Union County can best accommodate your needs. Translators will be available upon request.

Any complaints should be written and submitted to Mitzi Gallagher-Long, at SEDA-Council of Governments (SEDA-COG), mgallagherlong@seda-cog.org. Written responses will be addressed within fifteen (15) working days, when practicable.

Übersetzer sind für die öffentliche Sitzung auf Anfrage erhältlich.

Traductores estarán disponibles en las reunions públicas por petición.