Lancaster city residents feeling impact from UGI Utilities construction project, delays [Lancaster Watchdog]

A UGI Utilities Inc. gas main replacement project on several streets in northeast Lancaster City has resident Tiffany Wiker and many of her neighbors frustrated.

Denver-based UGI Utilities Inc. is replacing more than 60 miles of cast iron and bare steel mains as part of a $270 million infrastructure improvement program in its service area, which covers 49 counties in Pennsylvania, including Lancaster County, according to UGI spokesperson John Mason.

The project, Mason said, started in July and is taking longer than expected because the work crews could not access the basements of some of the properties to do work.

Wiker, a member of the George Ross Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization, said that while the work UGI is doing is important and necessary, it has made it difficult for people to drive to and from their homes or even find parking after hours as they leave their trucks and excavation equipment on the street at the end of their work shift.

"It's frustrating," she said, adding that work began before the start of the school year in August. "I wish they would take more seriously how their lack of planning is affecting us all."

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Making matters worse, Wiker said, parents dropping off and picking up children at Ross Elementary School at 840 N. Queen St. struggle to find their way there because of holes caused by UGI's work in the streets and sidewalks, and the lack of parking. The school is bordered by North Queen, West Ross, North Market and West Liberty streets.

"The school is at the edge of the city and there is no good place for parents to park. This has been an ongoing issue for years and the construction has made it worse," said Lauren Edgell, whose son is a student at the school.

More delays in construction work

When contacted earlier this week, Mason said UGI's gas main replacement work is completed.

"What that means is that the gas main is installed," he said.

However, work crews will have to repair damage caused to sidewalks and streets by the excavations. That phase of the project could be delayed for several months.

"What has to happen now is the crews will fill the holes and remove the equipment," Mason said. "When we do these projects, you'll always see impact on traffic and sidewalks."

Residents might still see work crews around their neighborhood as UGI crews remove metal plates from streets and sidewalks, but the work of repairing damaged sidewalks and roads to make them safe and accessible for pedestrians and drivers will likely not happen until early 2025, according to Mason.

"They might be able to fix the sidewalks but must wait at least 60 days for the ground to settle before the crews can start fixing and repairing the roads. The City of Lancaster doesn't allow this type of work from November through January. So, paving might not happen until 2025," Mason said.

Lancaster city issues an annual holiday moratorium to contractors effective Nov. 24 at 5 p.m. through 8 a.m. Jan. 2 requiring "all street openings to cease and disturbances to be backfilled and temporarily restored until after that date, including work currently being performed, according to a memo signed by Cindy McCormick, director of the city's Department of Public Works.

"It's sent out to contractors to minimize construction work due to parking and snow removal issues especially during the holidays," said operations manager Cory Simo.

Simo said other moratoriums prohibit concrete work on curbs and sidewalks between Nov. 15 and April 1, and the use of steel plates on city or state roadways from Oct. 31 until April 1 due to roadway plowing and winter maintenance.

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'They never told anyone'

Wiker reported the situation to the city in early September through the city's Fix It app, where residents can report concerns or non-emergency service requests.

Lancaster city's communications manager Amber Strazzo Righter said UGI has an open traffic control permit for the ongoing construction project on the 000 and 100 blocks of East Ross Street.

"Two of the conditions of the traffic control permit are that they notify the School District of Lancaster and property owners and residents of their traffic impacts," Strazzo Righter said.

However, Wiker and other residents say UGI failed to notify them of the construction work they planned to do.

"They never told anyone. They never sent out letters before they started the job saying they needed to get into people's basements," Wiker said. "The fact that it's taken so long is their own fault."

Judy Lee, owner of Queen Nail Salon at the corner of East Ross and North Queen streets, agreed.

"No one came by to say anything, and I didn't receive any letter. We lost business during all that time because clients could not find a place to park," Lee said.

When asked about the communication breakdown regarding the project, Mason said the contractors sent an email to the city, police and fire departments, garbage companies, school district and put door tags on residents' houses letting everyone know about the project.

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'It has been frustrating for our parents'

Meanwhile, Ross Elementary School Principal Melinda Vazquez-Markley said families are trying to be patient as they navigate through the road closures near the school.

"UGI and the work crews have been very kind in working with us. I can go over to the construction site and talk to them. They have made sure the road is open for arrival and dismissal, and we have not had to change any of our procedures," Vazquez-Markley said.

Another parent, Myka Platt, noted that many of the crosswalks are occasionally blocked by parked cars as people struggle to find spaces for their vehicles.

The 8:30 a.m. school drop-off time, however, coincides with the start of street cleaning, so parents who park on the street to drop their children off at school in the morning are likely to receive a parking ticket on street cleaning days, which are Monday or Tuesday from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. depending on which side of the 800 block of North Queen Street the person parks on.

"A bit more communication could have cut down on the traffic congestion and frustration at pick up and drop off, making it safer for the students." Platt said. "There is just not enough parking and no good traffic flow, so anything like street cleaning, construction, or rain makes a big impact."

Lancaster city's Streets Department establishes the street cleaning schedule, but the Lancaster Parking Authority enforces street cleaning and will ticket vehicles that are in the way of the street sweeper, according to authority executive director Larry Cohen. However, Strazzo Righter said the city works with the schools when they have specific requests related to drop-off and pick-up.

"We are delaying our (street) sweeping start time by 15 minutes to try to avoid the school drop-off time. With that said, it will only apply to parents dropping off their children on time," Strazzo Righter said in a Sept. 20 email. She did not say when the change would begin or how long it would last. "We are also going to be evaluating changing the route to permanently resolve this issue."

School District of Lancaster spokesperson Adam Aurand said that although the school was not notified of the delay in the start of street sweeping, school officials are glad the city is trying to alleviate the situation for the parents.

"It has been frustrating for our parents to find parking in the morning with the street closures and being mindful of street cleaning," Aurand said.

Watchdog was in the area Friday morning and found the 000 and 100 blocks of East Ross Street and the 800 block of North Queen Street clear of construction equipment. However, a construction sign at the corner of East Ross and North Queen streets noted road work ahead on the 900 block of North Queen Street.

Mason said UGI Utilities may not be able to complete certain street work during the winter months due to weather constraints. A definite date of completion has not been determined yet.

"There are always restrictions during winter months, so we might be looking at finishing in early 2025," Mason said.