New First Quality Access Road Gets City Council Approval

LOCK HAVEN — City council Monday night gave its approval to a new road to serve First Quality Tissue, part of a $300 million access expansion plan for the county’s biggest employer.

Council approved a “memorandum of understanding” on the same night some city hill street residents went to City Hall to complain about First Quality-bound truck traffic in their neighborhoods.

The $300 million improvement project will be carried out by the SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority which has obtained a state PennDOT grant. As explained in the memorandum, First Quality will provide the required local share of approximately $1.64 million. The project will cover construction of the road and installation of rail service to FQT’s existing and planned facilities in Castana Township. The township is expected to join the city in approving the memorandum.

The new road will begin on the south side of E. Walnut St. near Todd’s Auto Body and run adjacent to the existing rail line, in a southwesterly direction under Paul Mack Boulevard, 1,400 in the city and 400 feet in Castanea Township to the eastern boundary with First Quality, traversing another 2,100 feet to the vicinity of E. Park St., the project site.

The work is being done in conjunction with plans for a new, third tissue manufacturing machine at First Quality, expected to provide 186 new jobs. The paper machine expansion project is expected to get underway sometime this summer.

Meanwhile a delegation of S. Fairview St. residents appealed to the city to help control the truck traffic flowing through their neighborhood. Bonnie Straley Kephart said as many as 10 tractor-trailers show up on a daily basis. She said when they get stuck they attempt to turn around and can block traffic for 15 minutes. She also told of the growing number of families with young children in that area of town, expressing concern for their well being.

City officials acknowledged the problem and city manager Rich Marcinkevage, who resides on S. Jones St., said he could attest to the problem. The city manager said part of the problem is truckers coming to town from the west who utilize GPS for directions; they leave Interstate 80 in Milesburg and come into Lock Haven by way of Bellefonte Avenue.

The city indicated a search would be made for a short-term solution to the traffic problem.