As some Centre County projects move ahead with waivers, should Pa. open all construction activity?
As the coronavirus continues to spread throughout Pennsylvania and non-life sustaining businesses remain closed, Republican leaders are pushing legislation to waive Gov. Tom Wolf’s order and open all public and private construction projects.
Last week, the House State Government Committee approved a bill in a 15-10 vote that would allow all residential and commercial construction projects to resume if workers take precautions to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and adhere to social distancing guidelines.
Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman, R-Benner Township, called the governor’s “one-size fits all” approach to shutting down businesses “a failure” and said businesses that can operate safely should be able to open amid the pandemic.
“Let’s look to who can operate safely as opposed to what their mission is at the end of the day,” Corman said. “That goes into construction. Whether you’re building a hospital, whether you’re building a road, what’s more important to me is are you going to be able to make sure their workers are safe? And I don’t think the governor’s process takes that into account whatsoever.”
The state House of Representatives will vote on the bill Tuesday.
“Pennsylvania is the only state to shut down all active public and private construction sites, while issuing some selective waivers on an ad hoc basis,” House Speaker Mike Turzai, R-Allegheny, wrote in a co-sponsorship memo. “There is no consistency. While governors in New Jersey, California, Illinois and New York have issued shelter in place orders, they have all included exemptions for construction personnel and construction activities.”
Businesses could apply for a waiver from the state that would grant permission to operate during the shutdown, but the waiver process ended April 3 and received 42,380 exemption requests.
The state authorized work to continue on some Centre County projects — Centre Crest, Memorial Field, Mount Nittany Medical Center and emergency repairs to residential and commercial buildings.
After a week-long hiatus, the State College Area School District restarted renovation efforts in late March at Memorial Field. District Director of Communications Chris Rosenblum said officials are still assessing whether the delay will affect the original goal of finishing the $14 million project in time for the fall season.
The state classified the new Centre Care facility as essential because it is a life-sustaining operation, Centre Crest Business Development Specialist Autumn Hannagan said.
“The new facility is the only skilled nursing facility under construction in Pennsylvania and is therefore vital to the health care ecosystem of Central Pennsylvania and the state,” she said. “That said, the contractor on-site is taking many steps to ensure the safety of the workers — including taking the temperatures of the workers daily, limiting the amount of subcontractors on-site and regularly asking a series of screening questions from Centers for Disease Control.”
Last month, PennDOT announced that 61 emergency and critical highway and bridge projects will be active statewide. While the normal highway and bridge construction program has paused, emergency work continues.
The $82 million Potters Mills Gap project that began in 2015 was projected to be finished by fall 2020. The project is part of the critical work that continues statewide, addressing safety needs and work needed to eliminate roadway restrictions that could “impede the ability for the movement of life sustaining goods and services,” PennDOT wrote in a release.
PennDOT has not announced any delays or changes in the project timeline, but Press Officer Marla Fannin said the schedule will be evaluated for the impacts caused by the shutdown once operations are up and running.
“Regular monitoring will continue throughout the duration of the project and PennDOT will make every reasonable effort to keep the project on schedule,” Fannin said earlier this month.
The Yards at Old State, a Toll Brothers development in Ferguson Township, is still conducting business online and plans to lease rentals in the fall, Toll Brothers National Director of Brand and Marketing John Piedrahita said in a statement.
Signs have been posted at the construction site, notifying residents of a COVID-19 precaution plan.
The House State Government Committee also approved a bill, House Bill 2376, last week. The legislation would allow retail stores to stay open during a disaster emergency declaration but would only permit one employee and one customer in the store at a time.
