Gateway Slope Notes #38 – “Inlet Replacement”
The drainage/stormwater inlet at the Baltimore Ave/Scottdale Rd intersection was replaced! It was much needed. The existing inlet was showing a lot of signs of deterioration. You can see the kind of traffic control that was implemented during the replacement operations as well. Eastbound Baltimore Ave traffic was shifted to the westbound left turn lane (no left turns westbound were permitted). The inlet was replaced with a PennDOT Type C inlet (see detail from the PennDOT Roadway Construction standards). Adequate drainage is so important so it was encouraging to see this improvement! #GatewaySlopeNotes
Gateway Slope Notes #39 – “Path Profile”
When engineers design paths or trails, one very important element is making sure that the facility is designed to accommodate the access needs of all designated users. One design element that is important is the “profile” of the path. The profile shows the vertical aspect of the path - such as the grade - and it’s typically measured along the centerline of the path. (Basically it’s “how steep” the path is.). It appears to me that the profile for this path meets ADA guidelines and provisions per the current ADA Accessibily Guidelines (ADAAG) and the Universal Access Trails and Shared Use Paths guidelines from the Pennsylvania Land Trust Association. The existing sidewalk does not meet any of these minimum requirements. In fact, the switchback that was discussed in a previous Note was designed to reduce the grade of the path so it isn’t too steep. I’m looking forward to this project not just to make the gateway to our town more accessible from the west, but making Hoffman Park accessible to our residents and others from the east. Please see the attached representation of the switchback from the Borough website. #GatewaySlopeNotes
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