A look at the 443 road project
The project proposed by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has been broken up into five sections, beginning to the west and heading east along Route 443: Ashtown Drive to Mall Lane/Mall Road; Mall Lane/Mall Road to Route 902; Route 902 to East Penn Street/Route 3002; East Penn Street/Route 3002 to Route 443 Bridge; and Route 443 Bridge to Route 209 intersection.
The regulatory agencies such as the state Department of Environmental Protection, PA Fish and Boat Commission and Carbon County Soil Conservation District require improvement projects such as this one to address stormwater runoff through a variety of methods such as volume control, water quality, and groundwater recharge through infiltration.
The agencies prefer the stormwater is managed as close to the source as possible and discharged back into the water feature or wetland area it was naturally flowing to, or points of interest.
During the design process, they broke the project up into several points of interest, or discharge points.
In preliminary and final design, multiple locations were investigated to provide stormwater management facilities:
• Parcel 14, west of Carbon Plaza Mall on the north side of 443 across from McDonald’s
• Parcel 25, east of Aldi on the north side of 443, across from RPM
• Parcel 28, east of Aldi and Parcel 25 on the north side of 443, across from Schwab Plaza
• Parcel 29, east of Parcel 25 and west of Mahoning Creek on the north side of 443, across from MCT Bank. This location was not suitable for use due to poor infiltration test results
• Parcel 45, on the north side of Route 443, across from Pine Street; and Parcel 60, east of Route 443 Bridge and Mahoning Creek on the south side of 443 across from NAPA. This location was not suitable for use due to poor infiltration test results and the low volume of stormwater runoff they are able to collect.
For the area of Ashtown Drive to Mall Lane/Mall Road: They are providing a stormwater management facility within Parcel 14, west of Carbon Plaza on the north side of 443, across from McDonald’s. This proposed facility allows them to provide infiltration using the existing discharge point for this drainage area. The parcels to the east and west of this location are currently developed (residential/commercial). Infiltration tests showed the recharge rates were ideal for placement of a management facility.
For the area of Mall Lane/Mall Road to Route 902: They are providing a stormwater management facility within Parcel 25, east of Aldi on the north side of 443, across from RPM Parcel 28, east of Aldi and Parcel 25 on the north side of 443, across from Schwab Plaza. There were no parcels to the south of 443 at this location, which could be investigated for a management facility, as there is a mountain, pond, and developed parcels. They investigated Parcel 28 and on the north side of 443 (Mahoning Creek runs along 443).
For the area of Route 902 to E. Penn Street/3002: They are providing a stormwater management facility within Parcel 45, on the north side of 443, across from Pine Street. There were no parcels to the south of Route 443, as there is a pond and Pine Street with residential area up the embankment. The north side of 443 runs along the Mahoning Creek.
For the area of E. Penn Street/3002 to the 443 Bridge: They are not providing a stormwater management facility. The roadway is in a fill section with Gravers Pond on the south side, about 25 feet lower than the roadway and Mahoning Creek to the north side, near the 443 Bridge.
For the area of the 443 Bridge to the Route 209 intersection; They are not providing a stormwater management facility. Parcel 60, to the east of 443 Bridge and Mahoning Creek, located on the south side of 443 across from NAPA, was investigated as a potential management facility. This area was determined not suitable due to poor infiltration test results and the low volume of stormwater, which could be conveyed to this location.
The stormwater management facilities proposed for the 443 project were located based on the sampling of 20 infiltration test pits throughout the project, considering for existing discharge locations, runoff volume, and the topography to convey the collected stormwater into the system for mitigation.
The size and type of facilities incorporates the regulatory agencies best management practices to reduce runoff volume, recharge groundwater, and improve water quality at the discharge points.
