The Foster Township Supervisors on Monday night fielded questions on the Derrick Road/East Main Street intersection and issued a final advisement to residents who have not yet installed the required address signs.

Resident Bill Moore inquired with the board as to progress with planned safety improvements at the intersection, and Supervisor chairman George Hocker said he was glad to give an update.

Hocker said they’ve been working with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and an engineer on new grant paperwork, and the North Central Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Commission in Ridgway has been overseeing the grant writing to help ensure it is written as well as possible to get the maximum amount of funding for the project.

Once grant money is secured, the process of design, bidding and construction will take approximately 39 weeks, according to township secretary Shannon Morgan. She said grant eligibility calls for the project to be completed by June 2017, but that time frame is not workable since the most recent state budget impasse stalled grant money availability and grant paperwork was not opened until Aug. 8.

Hocker said the township has verified the right-of-ways, wants to move the pole out from the right-of-way and needs the easements. Morris asked about a light for a turning arrow and overhead signs and was told the township only owns the East Main Street side of the intersection heading north; the rest belongs to the state.

Supervisor Dale Phillips said PennDOT has examined the intersection and deemed it to be an “acceptable moving intersection” — although he and his fellow supervisors do not agree. “It’s not acceptable to our standards, but they say go to Pittsburgh and see their intersections and see what you think.”

And, because Derrick Road is curved, Phillips said, PennDOT will not put a turn arrow in. “If we get a pole and lights moved, I think that’s as good as it’s going to get for that intersection in the future,” he said. “We’ve talked to the chief about lowering the speed limit from 35 to 25 mph, so that’s on the table also.”

The estimated cost for the project started at around $40,000, but has risen to $87,000 with additional requirements and changes.

Foster Township Police Chief Tom Munn said he agrees the intersection is a problem, but it’s going to continue to be one as long as PennDOT doesn’t acknowledge “nonreportable accidents.” He explained there are many near-miss accidents and fender benders, but PennDOT is only interested in accidents that involve injury to individuals or disabling damage to vehicles. “They don’t see the minor crashes.”

In other news, Supervisor Gus Crissman issued what he said will be his last advisement to residents regarding the reflective address signs mandated by township ordinance to help emergency responders locate houses.

“We still have some people who are not in compliance, and there are a few who are defiant,” Crissman said. “This is for the benefit of you, the resident, so police and firefighters can identify your residence in the case of an emergency.”

Munn said he is in the process of re-checking compliance, which he determined to be at about 70 percent during the first round and is finding to be near 90 percent after “someone with a badge asked them about it.”

He said the next step will be to go door to door, visiting the houses of those are are “being really defiant” with a copy of the township ordinance.

While the ordinance does not state a specific height at which the address signs should be installed, the supervisors and police chief urge residents to use common sense and consider the height of snowbanks in the winter. “Some are really low, and if someone complains, you’re going to have to go dig them out,” Munn said.

In other news, the supervisors passed a motion accepting a settlement and release agreement between the township and Timothy P. Nicastro. Hocker said this relates to the acceptance of the resignation of a police officer, but nothing else could be released due to legal reasons.

Also, Hocker said the restoration work and handicap accessibility improvements to the restrooms at the municipal building is completed, and the township moved to issue payment in the amount of $8,762.14 to Hennard Construction for the work.

Finally, Eco American Pump & Plumbing was awarded the low bid of $19,568 for lift station repairs at Tuna Cross Road.

The work session scheduled for Thursday has been canceled.