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Hamiltonban Township
improvements continued

(10/13) Hamiltonban Township supervisors continued to pursue implementing improvements to township infrastructure and services at their October 6 meeting.

Regarding township roadways, the road-master, Ray Herr, reported that all of the line painting of municipal roadways has been completed at a cost of $19,000.

The enhanced roadway improvements included painting the center-lines yellow, and, where visibility problems exist, painting "white fog-lines" along shoulders so that drivers can keep track of where the shoulders are located.

Additionally, "’top bars’ were painted on roads approaching ‘Stop’ signs, and warnings were painted at the approaches to railroad crossings.

Also, property owners along Moritz Road have been sent letters from township Solicitor Matthew Battersby informing them of the township's intent to re-align a 1,500-foot section of the road and widening the road with shoulders. The improvements are planned to occur in spring next year.

Adams Electric (AE) and Centurylink have also been contacted. The electric company will have to move three poles and is presently in the process of receiving landowner approval to do so. Centurylink will connect their service to AE's poles once the poles are relocated.

Once the poll-relocation and Centurylink work is completed, the township will commence with the road improvements themselves. The municipality has already surveyed the road section involved to locate the actual center-line repository to executing the improvements.

The township will also be renting a chipper and lift for 30 days for $4,325. The road crew is planning to trim trees along Cold Spring Road, part of an annual effort to keep the overhanging tree branches from loading with ice and snow and falling onto the roadway, causing problems and calls for removal.

The lift will allow crews to reach the tree branches and the chipper is to grind the limbs removed.

The supervisors also approved the purchase of two boxes of delineators (a fiberglass reflective "stick") which will be used along roadways to delineate culvert edges and the angles of turns in the roadway for purposes of guiding snow removal crews, especially during significant snows which can conceal such features.

Generally, red delineators are employed to denote turning angles, while white ones are used to denote the edges of culverts and pipes. Generally, delineators cost around $4 - $10 each, depending on the vendor.

The supervisors also discussed the use of volunteer ‘flaggers’ … individuals who guide traffic around construction or repair areas. It was noted that one resident, Lee Baker, has offered to perform the duties. The township may, at some point, considering contracting for a flagger.

The board discussed the liability of using a non-employee for flagging and determined that the individual would be covered in accordance with township policy (The township covers any volunteer or hired individual with insurance).

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