Monday, November 22, 2010
Hershey road realignment project to kick off in early December
The long anticipated Park and Cocoa Avenue realignment project is set to begin in within the next two weeks in downtown Hershey.
In the first week of December, the Pennsylvania State Department of Transportation will commence the multi-year road realignment project on state Route 422, at the intersection of Cocoa and Park avenues.
The department held a groundbreaking ceremony to commemorate the project today (November 22, 2010).
The $12 million project will remove the dog-leg between Cocoa and Park by constructing a new bridge and modifying traffic signals. It also includes pedestrian underpasses under Park Avenue and Chocolate Avenue.
Other enhancements include:
- Cocoa Avenue will be realigned beginning at the Cocoa Avenue / Caracas Avenue intersection and ending at Chocolate Avenue. This will reduce the number of intersections from two to one in this area.
- Park Avenue will be realigned beginning at the Park. Avenue / Chocolate Avenue intersection and ending at the Zoo America parking lot entrance.
- A new bridge will be constructed east of the existing bridge to span over the Norfolk Southern railroad tracks. The existing bridge will be removed once this construction is finished.
- Park Boulevard (T-591) will be extended east to meet with the relocated Park Avenue roadway.
- New traffic signals will be installed at the Chocolate Avenue / Park Avenue intersection. Once the project is complete, only one signal will be used to control traffic in this area.
- Streetscape enhancements including:
- - Historic period style signal poles and standards at the intersection
- - Textured cross walks
- - Landscaping
- - Low level lighting in the median area
- - Decorative fencing and railing
- - Architectural coatings and stains on new concrete walls, and abutments
- Pedestrian mobility will be enhanced. Some of these new features include:
- - New sidewalks and pedestrian curb ramps.
- - A new pedestrian underpass will be constructed underneath the Park Avenue roadway.
- - A new pedestrian underpass will be constructed underneath the Chocolate Avenue roadway.
