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Intent to Enter - The following text will help property owners answer the most commonly asked questions regarding PENNDOT's Intent to Enter procedures.
Q. Why does PENNDOT want to enter my property?
A. Having entry allows for better planning and design of transportation facilities. This entry is necessary to: determine traffic origins and destinations; assess the movement of motorized and non-motorized vehicles; monitor current noise levels; evaluate wetlands and other environmental resources; take photographs of historic buildings; conduct archaeological investigations; or evaluate farm resources. These studies are being done to understand the traffic conditions requiring improvement and, at a later date, to be able to assess the effect of any proposed solutions on sensitive resources. The Pennsylvania Eminent Domain Code enables PENNDOT employees or their representatives to have right of entry to private properties.
At no time will any buildings be entered. Generally, this work will not disturb your property. An exception is the archaeological investigation, which requires, in limited areas, small holes dug by hand at regular intervals. When this has to be done, every attempt will be made to contact you in advance. When the work is complete, the holes will be filled and grass plugs replaced.
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Q. Who will be on my property?
A. If need be, PENNDOT employees or their representatives from the following firms:
McCormick, Taylor & Associates, Inc.
Archaeological & Historical Consultants, Inc.
Those doing the work will be courteous and respect your privacy. They will be able to identify themselves as a representative of one of these firms and explain to you the work they are doing. Once they have done this, please allow them to continue their work.
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Q. Can you tell me when they will be on my property?
A. No. This work will largely take place over the following several months. Generally, work will be done during normal business hours.
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Q. If I received a letter, does it mean that my property is needed?
A. No. Alternative improvements are still in development. At this stage we are still assessing what types of improvements may be needed. Later in the year we will begin to develop preliminary alternatives. The locations of these early alternatives will be subject to numerous revisions as the study progresses and some alternatives will be dismissed altogether. It will take three to four years before a final answer is known. Before that time, we will publish a number of newsletters to keep you informed (in conjunction with this web site) and hold public meetings to provide you with opportunities to express your views.
When it is determined what land is needed for proposed improvements, a PENNDOT employee or representative will personally contact property owners to inform them of the state's procedures for acquiring right of way and the property owners' rights.
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Q. I've heard rumors about what's going to be built. Are they true?
A. There have been no decisions made about the types of improvements needed or the locations for these improvements. Development of major transportation projects takes a long time; we anticipate this study could last three to four years. We want to be deliberate, get the community involved, and work together to reach a consensus on the best course of action.
Please refer to this web site for the most up to date information regarding PENNDOT's Intent to Enter policies and procedures.
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