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County salt shed approved
HOLLIDAYSBURG -- Blair County will pay an additional $45,076 for construction of a salt shed along Loop Road, near its highway garage, increasing the general construction contract to $489,749.
Commissioners Dave Kessling and Amy Webster voted Thursday to approve a change order addressing additional work for the project.
Paul Shaffer, who supervises the county's highway department, said that during construction, the contractor found contaminated soil that had to be removed and replaced with concrete. That necessitated the rerouting of pipes and insulation above the concrete, Shaffer reported.
Commissioners, in April 2025, voted to sign a contract with John Claar Excavating of Woodward, Centre
County, for the project's general construction work. At that time, county leaders indicated that the county's allocation of liquid fuel dollars would pay for the project.
Bids received for road work
HOLLIDAYSBURG -- Blair County is a step closer to starting work on County Road 104, also known as the Cranberry Road Rehabilitation Project in North Woodbury Township.
Commissioners on Thursday accepted three bids that are under review, with a contract to be awarded soon. The lowest bid was submitted by Grannas Bros., at $1.4 million. New Enterprise Stone & Lime submitted a bid of $1.49 million and Glenn O. Hawbaker Inc. submitted a bid of $1.59 million.
Commissioner Amy Webster said the project -- to be accomplished in phases -- is likely to start in August and wrap up in November. The selected contractor, she said, will be expected to excavate about a foot deep to remove the deteriorated road and then follow through with replacement.
The 1.4-mile road stretches between Route 866 and Orchard Lane and is regularly used by milk truck
drivers.
Nearby property owners, Webster said, are aware of the forthcoming project and all right-of-ways have been secured for access.
"Everybody is excited to see this project move forward," Webster said.
County Road 101 to be replaced
HOLLIDAYSBURG -- Blair County plans in 2027 to replace County Road 101 in the Claysburg area, which involves milling the road's top two inches and new blacktopping, Commissioner Amy Webster said Thursday.
"It's not a tar and chip job as rumored," the commissioner stressed.
Blair County hosted a public meeting Wednesday to educate Greenfield and Freedom Township residents about the proposed road replacement project, which also calls for drainage improvements and sidewalk replacements.
The new sidewalks, Webster said, are to be handicapped accessible in light of grant money the county secured which was available for that purpose.
For the project to move forward, the county will need to acquire right-of-way authorizations from about 100 property owners, Webster said.
Keller Engineers is designing the project for the county.
-- Compiled by Kay Stephens