Road damage in Greene County

I was driving with a friend on route 221 through Greene County on Sunday to go bicycling on the Greene River trail near Rices Landing, and we found ourselves behind a brine water / residual waste truck -- presumably full of frack waste -- between Dunn Station and Ruff Creek.

Three problems:

1. The truck had no license plate!  The side of the truck said Curry Supply.

2. The truck often took up most of the road, creating a hazard for oncoming traffic.

3. There was severe road damage on route 221, perhaps from these wide, heavy frack trucks.  When I biked this road about two years ago, the edges of this road were not crumbling like this.  Damaged roads can cause a) crashes for bicyclists or motorcyclists, b) damage to car tires and suspensions, and c) additional safety problems as cars & trucks swerve to avoid holes in the road.

See photos:

https://picasaweb.google.com/pheckbert/FrackingGreeneCounty#

I'd like to visit Greene County again to go bicycling on its (formerly) nice roads but these safety issues make me think twice.  The gas industry should pay for their share of this road damage, since this appears to be so far beyond normal road wear.

 

-Paul

Pittsburgh

Tags: fracking, greene county, roads, trucks

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Permalink Reply by karen brown on June 9, 2011 at 3:40pm
Very well put Homer and Craig.  Lets recall several months ago the heavy rains and hard winter.  I live on a back road that is all washed out and we do not have active gas travel.  It came from headwalls not being cleaned out by state and townships so the water jumps the road and guess what, it still is not fixed also, all gas industry vehicles are paying fuel tax and a lot of it, where is that money going and by the way the roads used by the gas industry are in better shape than they have been in 25 years.  And to the bicyclist, ride in town, we country folk only care about tractors, point a to B etc.  If you want paved burms, lighting, curbs and good roads stay out of the country, this is the way we like it.  Also, stay out of the middle. 
Permalink Reply by Kathleen Elsie Gibbs on June 1, 2011 at 8:12am
Well said. Those of us that live here (we don't take a car or truck to get to our country road we live here) now see joggers and bikers parked a couple of miles away and then they bike or jog out. LOL they get startled when they get about 1/4 mile past our place as there is no pavement just dirt, rocks and ruts. My grandkids bike there but then they have mountain bikes and know what to expect.
Permalink Reply by Paul Heckbert on June 1, 2011 at 10:41am
As residents of Greene County and nearby counties we should decide: which kind of future do we prefer: one where we allow the gas industry to exploit our land for short-term profit, leaving us with scarred and polluted land, water, and roads that scare people away (a coal-style 100-year deja vu) or do we instead want to promote cleaner industries, preserve the quiet, the nature, and what clean water we have, so as to encourage tourism and retain young people long-term?
Permalink Reply by Kathleen Elsie Gibbs on June 1, 2011 at 12:29pm
Sorry Paul but I don't want the drilling stopped. I just want them in and out as quickly as they can safely get their job done. Tourism has been tried and found vastly lacking in jobs and long term growth. Do I like the trucks, noise etc while they are drilling and placing new pipe lines NO. But this could well mean that my grandchildren will be able to stay in WPA and prosper.
Permalink Reply by Mike Knapp on June 1, 2011 at 2:36pm

Paul,

It's obvious that you are woefully ignorant of the natural gas drilling process.  The gas industry is not exploiting anyone or anything and is not polluting the land or water.  Temporary cracked berms on tar/chip country roads is NOT going to discourage tourism and it CERTAINLY will not scare away young people.  Quite the contrary.  The Marcellus industry created 44,000 new jobs here in PA last year.  Good paying, long lasting jobs, in the middle of a horrible recession nonetheless.  Once the drilling is done, the companies are paying to install REAL roads that will actually hold up, leaving the area much better than it was before. 

 

Reality is far from the either/or situation you describe above.  I suggest you inform yourself, if you have an actual interest in the truth. 

Permalink Reply by Bill anders on June 28, 2011 at 10:26am

Paul...how much economic stimulus does your bike riding create in Greene County?  Now while it does bring a chuckle seeing a grown man in a unitard riding a bicycle, your complaint of road damage, within a county you do not live, causing your bicycle to squeak i can almost guarantee is not a concern of anyone within this forum. 

Who would have thought a country road could experience some wear and tear within the last 3 years, since you last biked in 2008 at this location.  Ever heard of winter, or people driving to and from work in vehicles larger than your smart car.  These roads are in place to accommodate the local farmers, and local industry, not for you to escape the stench of Pittsburgh for an afternoon.

Permalink Reply by Jim Litwinowicz on June 1, 2011 at 10:17am
Chesapeake has spent more than $144 million improving and repairing rods.  http://naturalgaspa.com/profiles/blogs/chesapeake-announces-road Usually leaving them much better than before.  Many times, companies have even rebuilt the roads BEFORE they drill.  They do this becuase they know they will have to any way and by doing it first protects their equipment from damage, makes the process easier, and keeps everyone happy.
Permalink Reply by Mike Knapp on June 1, 2011 at 10:39am

Oh heavens, some of our township roads out in the country aren't up to par in the estimation of bicyclists from the city?  I don't know how I'm going to be able to sleep tonight knowing that. 

 

The companies that are damaging the crappy tar and chip roads in the townships are spending hundreds of millions to rebuild them PROPER.   Many companies are starting to rebuild the roads BEFORE they start operations.   As for the water truck, SO WHAT IF IT DOESN'T HAVE A LICENSE PLATE?  Do you think the operator is trying to get around incognito with his water truck painted CANARY YELLOW with the company name plastered all over it?  It looks brand new, maybe it had paper temp tags or something that fell off.   Maybe some a-hole anti-gas drilling nutbag stole them off of it. 

 

 

 

 

Permalink Reply by Wayne Altland on June 1, 2011 at 4:01pm
According to Mr. Heckbert, the trucker must have paid the same as he did to use the roads of Greene County for biking--Nothing, but he still wants to blame the gas industry. Wonder what type of range in his kitchen? Gas or electric -- either one will use gas which he apparently does not like.
Permalink Reply by mark ayers on June 1, 2011 at 5:30pm
Our roads are in terrible shape in Lackawanna County, We need some drillers because the state and county have no money (or interest) to fix them.
Permalink Reply by jim mills on June 1, 2011 at 6:45pm
man I didn,t mean to create such a s..t storm..... alright maybe I did gotta tell yall I was laughing my you no what off ! well we no who some one voted for,, hell lets just have a beer summit and forget about it,,, can't we all just get along,, share the road people!!!!!!
0jw0dsu4txfuvPermalink Reply by 0jw0dsu4txfuv on June 1, 2011 at 9:22pm

If you all just knew how many of these idiot green loving people the industry has to hear from all the time. Sometimes it is funny like this guy.

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