The problem underpass on Green Lane where the railroad bridge crosses overhead will be getting safety improvements.
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The Bristol Borough Council on Monday evening approved a $40,000 project to install safety improvements at a flood-prone underpass on Green Lane, which sits on the border with Bristol Township.
The project, which has been on officials’ radar for years, will include the installation of barrier gates and an emergency lighting system.
Officials said the gates will allow officials to quickly close the underpass to vehicles and pedestrians during severe weather, while the lighting will improve visibility for motorists and emergency responders.
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Bristol Township has agreed to pay half the cost of the project, according to Borough Manager Jim Dillon.
Borough Engineer Kurt Schroeder told the council that original quotes for the project had increased due to rising material costs and extended delivery times.
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“We had gotten these prices some time ago both in the material and installation costs with foundations that go with these posts,” Schroeder said. “We went back in anticipation of tonight to make sure those costs were still good and the availability was still available for the product.”
The project addresses longstanding concerns about the underpass, which has experienced dangerous flooding conditions, officials said.
Councilman Greg Pezza said that while the project addresses blocking off the underpass during storms, a larger issue remains.
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“We’re going to be talking about something that we’ve talked about for a while with blocking that off formally when there’s a storm, but there’s also a huge pipe and drainage issue that it is very much the borough’s position that is the responsibility of the State of Pennsylvania,” Pezza said.
According to officials, bureaucratic obstacles have slowed progress in addressing the drainage issue with the state.
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“The state of Pennsylvania keeps putting up as many roadblocks as possible to deal with that issue,” Pezza said. “Sometimes the bureaucracy of PennDOT is very difficult to navigate through. But we need to navigate through this bureaucracy.”
Pezza stressed the need to resolve the safety issues before a serious incident occurs.
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A memo from the borough manager was provided to council members and detailed previous discussions and actions taken to address the flooding problems.
In September 2023, State Sen. Steve Santarsiero, borough officials, and State Rep. Tina Davis’ office met with PennDOT at the underpass to explain the problem. Borough officials said the issue is partly worsened by a state-owned pipe that does not properly drain water from the area.
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