David Harleman, Coplay Whitehall Sewer Authority (CWSA) general manager, requested permission to begin preliminary engineering studies for PennDOT to widen Route 22.

"PennDOT intends to duplicate the roadway already in place from the bridge over the [Lehigh] river to past Airport Road," he said at the Aug. 15 CWSA meeting.

CWSA has a sewer plant along Route 22 that will need to be moved to allow for the wider road. According to Harleman, there is no definite date for construction to begin, but PennDOT requested engineering be completed by early next year.

Who pays for the cost to reposition the sewer lines is up in the air. CWSA has not yet been formally briefed by PennDOT.

In his report, Harleman indicated the bridge over Route 22 at Fullerton would be eliminated. Whitehall Commissioner Phillip Ginder, who regularly attends CWSA meetings, said the township was told the bridge would survive any degree of widening. Both versions of the plan remain undefined though there are indications that Penn-DOT has two separate projects planned for Route 22.

Harleman will keep the township advised of upcoming PennDOT meetings.

In other business, Ruch Street, situated on the border of Whitehall and Coplay, has been subjected to geological testing. The existing sewer lines serving the area were installed awkwardly, increasing maintenance costs and the potential for backups. Two months ago, CWSA requested a geological study to determine if the unusual installation was the result of underlying geotechnical problems.

Darryl Jenkins, CWSA engineer, reported no major problems were discovered. The construction of new sewer mains and laterals will be sent out for bid.

Board Chairman John Schreiner expressed concern that the street has deteriorated too much. As a result, he said there may be problems with the underlying soils. The street is scheduled to be reworked.

Jenkins indicated that temporary paving would be installed allowing the ground to settle. Final paving work is at least a year away. The only issue remaining is a water main that will be exposed during the construction. The contractor will need to coordinate and secure the line before setting the new sewer mains. The project is expected to reduce maintenance costs and provide a better flow path for homeowners and businesses in the area.

The board also authorized the purchase of a new transporter attachment for its camera truck.

"The new transporter allows us to examine larger diameter pipes," Harleman said. The existing transporter can carry a camera through a sewer line, but it runs in a straight line.

"The new transporter can be steered around a rock or obstacle and the camera can be raised and lowered," Harleman said.

The new system, with a $64,000 price tag, includes software to tie the videos into the Geographical Information System (GIS).

"We can see our videos, but we need to pull the video. The new system puts the video right in the system so I can click on a line and see the last video we took," Harleman said.

Also at the meeting, board member Joseph Marx reported that the Allentown Authority inquired about using CWSA sewer lines for proposed developments along the riverfront. After some discussion, the board determined there would be no benefit to the community and declined to pursue preliminary discussions.

Schreiner and CWSA Solicitor Jack Stover noted that no discussions have been held between Lehigh County Authority (LCA), that now leases the Allentown Sewage Treatment Plant, and CWSA.

"We don't know if LCA is honoring the existing agreement, but we are operating under the agreement that we have in place," Schreiner said.

Stover added that each entity has a separate agreement with Allentown.

"CWSA can negotiate a separate agreement if necessary," Stover said.

Schreiner is seeking assurance from LCA that the existing agreement will remain unchanged.