Difference between revisions of "User:RahalMccall69"

From eplmediawiki
Jump to: navigation, search
(Allentown faces tight deadline to sync stoplights with arena traffic)
(Saucon Valley teachers make new contract proposal, district says 'no' to it)
Line 1: Line 1:
  
−
Allentown faces tight deadline to sync stoplights with arena trafficSignals are being installed near new arena that can adjust to vehicle flow.July 30, 2014|By Emily Opilo, Of The Morning CallIt's a 12-month job that traffic engineers said would be done in four.That's what they told the authority overseeing the construction of Allentown's new arena as they discussed plans for a massive upgrade of 35 traffic lights on the way to, around and from the 8,500-seat venue.The upgrades are critical to prevent snarled traffic for the 2,600 additional vehicles expected to descend on Allentown's urban core for events at the PPL Center and other downtown attractions.But in the last two weeks, a month and a half before the arena is set to open, work on those traffic lights has just gotten underway, and permit applications for the project still remain in the hands of the state Department of Transportation, the agency that must authorize upgrades to traffic lights.Despite the delay, Allentown officials say they still expect to have the new lights running in time for the first big events scheduled for the arena."We can start the work," said Craig Messinger, acting director of public works. "We <a href=http://www.alportico.net/page.php?sale=True-Religion-Womens-Jeans>True Religion Womens Jeans</a>  can put up anything we want. We just can't <turn>them on]."Engineers said installation of the lights began late last week.Officials have been under the gun on the installations since they were discussed with the Allentown Neighborhood Improvement Zone Development Authority in May.Many of Allentown's downtown traffic lights, described by traffic engineers as "bottom of the barrel," were installed in the 1940s and are based on pre-timed settings rather than actual traffic flow, which is expected to spike during arena events. That timing is adjusted every year or so on the dated traffic lights, but little else can be done to accommodate changes in traffic, engineers said.The new signals, at a cost of $1.4 million, will have cameras that can detect vehicles and pedestrians, said John R. Wichner, senior project manager for McMahon Transportation Engineers & Planners, which has been hired to make the improvements. Those cameras will allow signal timing to change during busy nights at the arena or revert to programmed timings for more typical traffic, he said.The new signals also will provide feedback to Allentown's Public Works Department so that workers in a traffic management center can make manual changes to signal timing based on conditions."Certainly the biggest concern or the biggest effort is for the 20-30 minute crunch of vehicles leaving after hockey games or concerts," Wichner said. "But now we can control morning peak, lunch rush, afternoon peak and weekends. It's a more sustainable effort."A permit is required for each intersection where lights will be replaced. PennDOT spokesman Ron Young said applications for the permits were filed June 9 and were handed <a href=http://www.radiorcs.com/page.php?sale=Kate-Spade-Beantown>Kate Spade Handbags Outlet</a>  back to the city with engineering comments June 25. They were later resubmitted to PennDOT. Usually plans are returned in 30 days or less, Young said.Young confirmed that the city can begin construction before the permits are complete."Their engineering firm is knowledgeable," he said. "We don't anticipate any reason why it wouldn't be done pretty soon."PennDOT has requested the city give the agency the ability to tap into Allentown's traffic light network via a virtual private network, Messinger said. Young said that is a standard request.Wichner said most of the installation work will be done above ground, causing minimal disturbance to traffic. Drivers can expect to see bucket trucks at various intersections. Lanes may be closed for 15 to 20 minutes at a time, but no detours will be necessary, he said.Installation is slated to be completed Aug. 31, Wichner said. That will give engineers seven to 10 days to calibrate the lights based on traffic all in time for the Eagles rock concert that will open the arena Sept. 12, he said.Typically, the project would take 12 months, Wichner said, due to the permit approval process, procurement of equipment and bidding. But much of that has been handled in advance, he said, and installation is in progress."We've really fast-tracked the project, and everything has come together," he said. <a href=http://www.avanttravel.com/page.php?sale=Louboutin-Platforms>Louboutin Platforms</a>  "It got the attention it needed from public works, PennDOT, all the stakeholders."Jeff Fegley, an owner of Brew Works on Hamilton Street, said the upgrades are sorely needed. Many of the city's downtown traffic problems could have been solved years ago with a more modern traffic light network, he said.The timetable for the installation will be tight, but if anyone can pull it off, it's a Neighborhood Improvement Zone contractor, Fegley said, noting that work on other projects has been completed quickly."If they can't, it should be rebid to someone who can," he said.Twitter @emilyopilo610-820-6522Featured ArticlesMore:
+
The district did not offer a counterproposal Sunday, and union chief negotiator Rich Simononis said union members will now wait for the district to contact them. The ball is in <the>district's] court, he said. We're hoping they pick it up and do something with it. It's just bargaining games now. The school board will discuss contract negotiations during an executive session at its Tuesday meeting, Sultanik said. The district previously gave a proposal that included retroactive salary freezes for two years, and then raises mostly through stipends the next two years. The union refused that.The union's latest offer also asked for increases to extracurricular salaries and did not include any changes in health care or retirement incentives, Sultanik said. Last week, Sultanik said he expected a fantasy land proposal from the union, and he called Sunday's offer <a href=http://www.radiorcs.com/page.php?sale=Kate-Spade-Stemware>Kate Spade Stemware</a>  just that.The union's proposal does not call for a tax increase, Simononis said. He also said it would have increased the district's payroll only by 4 percent for all four years.Union attorney Andrew Muir, who said Friday he was hopeful a tentative agreement would be reached, previously threatened a four- to six-week strike if the district would not approve the union's contract proposal. He also said teachers could strike a second time in the school year.Simononis and union President Theresa Andreucci said strike plans are not under consideration right now. We need to focus on school now, Andreucci said.Negotiations turned more contentious after the union rejected a third-party fact-finder's report earlier this year and formed a new negotiations team and hired Muir. Once Muir came on board, the union put forth the new contract proposal that included the 3 percent raises.Muir argued that Saucon Valley teachers lagged behind other Lehigh <a href=http://www.radiorcs.com/page.php?sale=Clearance-Kate-Spade>Clearance Kate Spade</a>  Valley teachers in salaries. He said the district's $13 million fund balance could go toward teachers' raises, but the district said that money needed to go toward rising pension costs and other expenses. The fund balance belongs to the taxpayers, and is not there for teachers' salary increases, Sultanik said. The district continues to be steadfast in its quest to remain fiscally strong in a challenging economic environment. For the 2012-13 school year, the average Saucon Valley teacher's salary was $68,985, according to the state's Department of Education.As a result of the union presenting a new contract <a href=http://www.avanttravel.com/page.php?sale=Tory-Burch-Over-The-Knee-Boots>Tory Burch Over The Knee Boots</a>  proposal in May, the district filed a labor complaint in June against the union, saying teachers were trying to erase two years of contract negotiations and start anew. A hearing has been set for November.Contract negotiations have turned ugly before in the district, which has about 2,300 students enrolled in its three schools.Teachers went on strike in 2005, 2008 and 2009. This is the third consecutive contract that has not been settled on time in Saucon Valley.Twitter @Jpalochko610-820-6613 Copyright 2014,

Revision as of 18:55, 25 September 2014

The district did not offer a counterproposal Sunday, and union chief negotiator Rich Simononis said union members will now wait for the district to contact them. The ball is in <the>district's] court, he said. We're hoping they pick it up and do something with it. It's just bargaining games now. The school board will discuss contract negotiations during an executive session at its Tuesday meeting, Sultanik said. The district previously gave a proposal that included retroactive salary freezes for two years, and then raises mostly through stipends the next two years. The union refused that.The union's latest offer also asked for increases to extracurricular salaries and did not include any changes in health care or retirement incentives, Sultanik said. Last week, Sultanik said he expected a fantasy land proposal from the union, and he called Sunday's offer <a href=http://www.radiorcs.com/page.php?sale=Kate-Spade-Stemware>Kate Spade Stemware</a> just that.The union's proposal does not call for a tax increase, Simononis said. He also said it would have increased the district's payroll only by 4 percent for all four years.Union attorney Andrew Muir, who said Friday he was hopeful a tentative agreement would be reached, previously threatened a four- to six-week strike if the district would not approve the union's contract proposal. He also said teachers could strike a second time in the school year.Simononis and union President Theresa Andreucci said strike plans are not under consideration right now. We need to focus on school now, Andreucci said.Negotiations turned more contentious after the union rejected a third-party fact-finder's report earlier this year and formed a new negotiations team and hired Muir. Once Muir came on board, the union put forth the new contract proposal that included the 3 percent raises.Muir argued that Saucon Valley teachers lagged behind other Lehigh <a href=http://www.radiorcs.com/page.php?sale=Clearance-Kate-Spade>Clearance Kate Spade</a> Valley teachers in salaries. He said the district's $13 million fund balance could go toward teachers' raises, but the district said that money needed to go toward rising pension costs and other expenses. The fund balance belongs to the taxpayers, and is not there for teachers' salary increases, Sultanik said. The district continues to be steadfast in its quest to remain fiscally strong in a challenging economic environment. For the 2012-13 school year, the average Saucon Valley teacher's salary was $68,985, according to the state's Department of Education.As a result of the union presenting a new contract <a href=http://www.avanttravel.com/page.php?sale=Tory-Burch-Over-The-Knee-Boots>Tory Burch Over The Knee Boots</a> proposal in May, the district filed a labor complaint in June against the union, saying teachers were trying to erase two years of contract negotiations and start anew. A hearing has been set for November.Contract negotiations have turned ugly before in the district, which has about 2,300 students enrolled in its three schools.Teachers went on strike in 2005, 2008 and 2009. This is the third consecutive contract that has not been settled on time in Saucon Valley.Twitter @Jpalochko610-820-6613 Copyright 2014,

Retrieved from "http://eplmediawiki.di.uminho.pt/index.php?title=User:RahalMccall69&oldid=870325"
Personal tools
Namespaces

Variants
Actions
Navigation
extras
Toolbox