To a roomful of applause, representatives of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission told residents they would not be destroying the underpass at Bears Road. After much public outcry centering on emergency vehicle response and detours during flooding, as well as traffic and growth, the commission opted to leave the Grahams Woods Road bridge intact. At a public meeting Monday to discuss the fate of the Bears Road underpass, the same thing happened. Residents packed the West Pennsboro Fire Hall to inspect graphs and charts outlining the commission's plans for the various bridges and underpasses in the area, but the main topic of concern was Bears Road. They wouldn't be able to get any fire trucks or ambulances out to me.
Nothing can get in.
Young knows first-hand the flooding tendencies of the Conodoguinet. The residents were asked to inspect the charts and graphs, but many chose to talk directly with Barry Troup, the commission's assistant chief engineer. Residents showed him pictures and gave accounts of the perils of living in the area during a flood, and the chaos that could ensue if the underpass was closed. However, safety wasn't the only issue on people's minds regarding the underpass. The Dyarman family expressed concerns a detour would have on the movement of their farm goods.