August 27, 2001
American Concrete Pavement Association
800 North Street, Suite 201
Harrisburg, PA 17102
Attention: Mr. John M. Becker, PE
Regional Director
Subject: Route 202 Section 300 Expansion
Dear Mr. Becker,
Please forgive the vacation-delayed response to your letter of July 11, 2001. You noted in your letter that the Concrete Pavement Association twice requested a meeting with the Great Valley Association, neither of which was granted. We believe this claim is misleading and for the benefit of the recipients of your letter some clarification is needed.
The first request relates to a meeting that the Great Valley Association (GVA) requested with PennDOT and which was held on September 20, 2000. The purpose of that meeting was to relate our concern about the unacceptable level of noise from the present highway and to register our concern about noise abatement for Section 300*. The GVA did not invite any industry representatives to that meeting; nonetheless you and Mr. Kenneth Crank were present
At the conclusion of the meeting it was agreed to hold a second meeting with the pavement industry representatives. The GVA initiated the request for the second meeting, graciously sponsored by Representative Carole Rubley and Senator Bob Thompson, as was the first one. The purpose of this meeting was to have the pros and cons for each pavement type presented by that industry's representative. Mr. Carlos Rosenberger of the Pennsylvania Asphalt Pavement Association made a very compelling slide presentation on behalf of asphalt pavement for Section 300. Apparently the benefits of concrete pavement were assumed to be self-evident because your representative chose not to make a comparable presentation. A few comments were made about the benefits of concrete pavement and diamond grinding to make it smoother but little, if any thing else was presented. This was surprising since you were in attendance at the September 20th meeting when this matter was discussed and Mr. Rosenberger was not.
The GVA held a public meeting on June 26, 2001 to advise our members about what transpired at the September 20, 2000 and April 26, 2001 meetings. In view of the foregoing the GVA does not believe that we have done the Concrete Pavement Association any injustice.
Insofar as the difference in noise levels, economics, etc noted in your letter, we stand by all of the statements that we have made on this subject. Furthermore there is no gainsaying that asphalt is smoother than concrete and quieter. WE WANT THE QUIETEST ROAD POSSIBLE TO CONTROL THE ENVIRONMENTAL NOISE POLLUTION CAUSED BY ROUTE 202, not the second quietest.
The GVA supports the expansion. We understand that cost is an issue and we are on the right side of that issue, but it is not the only issue. We believe that asphalt pavement combined with adequate sound wall protection is better suited to achieve the quietest road possible. The Swarthmore College officials and the surrounding residents along I-476 thought so too. What is good enough for the residents of Swarthmore is also good enough for Tredyffrin residents as well.
Yours truly,
Joseph F. Maxwell
President
Great Valley Association
PO Box 328
Paoli, PA 19301-0328
Member, Project Advisory Committee to the DVRPC
Member, U.S. 202 Section 300 Improvement Project, Project
Advisory Committee (PAC)
* Environmental Noise Report for the Great Valley Association submitted to the DVRPC Advisory Committee June 1999.
CC Thomas Ridge, Governor
Bradley Mallory, PennDOT Secretary of Transportation
Michael M. Ryan, P.E., PennDOT Chief Engineer
Andrew L. Warren, District Administrator, PennDOT District 6
Curt Weldon, U.S. Congressman
Robert J. Flick, State Representative
Robert J. Thompson, State Representative
Carole A. Rubley, State Representative
Colin Hanna, Chester County Board of Commissioners
Karen L. Martynick, Chester County Board of Commissioners
Andrew E. Dinniman, Chester County Board of Commissioners
John J. Coscia, Executive Director, DRVPC