AQUA Road "Improvements" and Other Utility Company Fun (Like Verizon)

Submitted by SaveArdmoreCoalition on Mon, 2007-09-17 15:02.

We are going to start in Bryn Mawr, and AQUA PA's latest road issues.

Fast forward to the intersection of North Roberts Road and Montgomery Avenues:

Monday, September 10, 2007 3:51 PM

On Saturday, I was traveling West on Montgomery Avenue, just passing Shipley’s Beechwood building in the right lane, when I came to the intersection of N. Roberts and Montgomery. I was following a large SUV and we both had the green light coming down the hill at Roberts, so we were doing the speed limit, which is 35 MPH.

Within a fraction of a second I saw simultaneously the following: the SUV went into the intersection and came out the far side having launched about 2 feet into the air, and out of the corner of my eye I saw an orange sign (which was leaning against a light pole right at the intersection - i.e. no warning!) which indicated “uneven pavement”. Uneven pavement is an understatement. Some contractor has milled Roberts road across the length of Montgomery Avenue, leaving a 4 inch gap along either side of the intersection. Needless to say, I slammed on my brakes and entered the intersection and slammed into the far side of the intersection, which caused my car to flex and shattered my windshield.

I ....took pictures of everything! I also filed a police report with...Officer ...[who] remarked that he too had slammed into the depression at Roberts in his cruiser and couldn’t believe that the warning sign was situated on the ground, right at the intersection, essentially useless as a warning to anyone who was coming down the hill and had the green light.

My favor, if possible, would be the name of the contractor who performed the work. I have full glass coverage as part of my insurance, so I am covered, but I do feel that the contractor who performed the work should bear some responsibility and I would like to pass the information on to my insurance company for subrogation. I worked very hard for my little [sportscar], and it really distresses me that this contractor couldn’t even place the warning sign in an area that might actually provide some warning to a passing motorist, and at least have given me a fighting chance to come to a complete stop before having entered the intersection. Officer...said he filed a report earlier in the week for much the same thing at a different intersection just up the street for a car which popped a tire. He believed the work was performed by the same contractor.

I do have pictures which show exactly where the sign heading westbound is placed, and I can assure you, unless you were at a dead stop at the intersection, you would never even see it! You might want to let someone in the township streets department know because until the work is done, more people are going to do damage to their vehicles.

Kind regards.

Then...

...It was determined that the rotomilling operation at that location is actually being done by a contractor for PA Aqua Inc.

then....

I was able to make contact with Aqua Inc. and they have provided me with a process for submitting my information to them directly.

Hopefully Aqua will take to heart the potentially serious consequences of this unsafe situation and will at the very least ensure that their contractor places warning signs in an appropriately visible location (not at the intersection itself, but well in advance of the intersection which would allow vehicles to slow down enough to properly negotiate the rapid change in elevation between the two levels of pavement). It is by the grace of God that no one was behind, or next to my vehicle when I was launched into the air, otherwise the results could have been much more serious.

I am fortunate to have full glass coverage as part of my insurance, so I will not incur a direct financial loss, but I will submit the bill to Aqua in the hope that they reimburse my insurance company.....As a matter of principle, Aqua should be held accountable for the contractors who work on their behalf, and create unsafe conditions for the general public.

Lastly, I would like to point out the professionalism of Officer ....should be commended for the way he handled what is decidedly a very routine part of police work (taking an accident report), but is too often not done well. He was polite, concise, offered advice where warranted, and made a stressful situation decidedly less stressful. I hope Lower Merion continues to attract and retain more Officers like [him].

Kind regards,

But nothing has happened AND there was also the SAME situation also AQUA at Conestoga and Roberts right by Yang Ming:

.....Yes the contractor works for Aqua.....The issue for me was the detour signs that were up "forever" with no work going on. I called Aqua customer service and got a dumb answer.....It’s a subcontractor for Aqua. One working the area was Chaddick, out of Ambler. Don’t know what the latest subcontractor is, for the work at N. Roberts Rd and Conestoga.

So then Conestoga and Roberts was paved smooth as a baby's bottom...they paved poorly and unevenly at Montgomery and North Roberts. Like it all never happened. As this is going on, the poor resident who contacted SAC's officers in the first place still doesn't have resolution...here is today's e-mail:

thought you would want to know that I never heard anything from Aqua.... I did fax everything, including a copy of my bill to replace the windshield on my [very expensive sports car] to the number which Aqua had suggested that I fax everything to (866)-780-8292.

Regards,

But wait...SAC has photos, sure...just click here and wade through our utility company photos....we'll post your photos in the array if you send them - include date taken, synopsis of situation and utility company involved...

Now to the Verizon of it all - one resident that we know of has had their Fios box relocated. It took complaining to State Sen. Williams office, Lower Merion Township, an informal complaint with the PUC, and a letter to the editor that was truly obnoxious. But it worked. Of course what took non-union contractors a couple hours to put up took Verizon union guys a couple days to move because basically they had to undo all the wrong things the non union subcontractors did....the union guys commented on the stupid location of the box in general. But apparently, Verizon doesn't hear it's employees either.

Now we move to Gladwyne, where a family of five thought they would be able to save money by signing up for Verizon Fios and ditching Comcast. But they aren't satisfied and are contemplating switching back because they can't get Lower Merion Channels 6 or 7 or Channel 99 either! Now they said they watch all 3 channels and with kids, they need channels 6 and 7.

Verizon is telling Lower Merion residents it might take a YEAR to get Channel 6 and 7, no one is talking about Channel 99 at all, and well, why does Lower Merion want Verizon Fios? Maybe they should just say NO to Fios like Narberth did.

Yes, you heard us correctly (and it was in the paper last week, although we can't find it online)....last week Narberth Borough Council voted to allow Verizon Fios and the next day Narberth Mayor Tom Grady vetoed the ordinance.

Tom Grady is our newest folk hero! Mayor Grady, as per Main Line Times Rich Ilgenfritz, thought Verizon showed a lack of concern for residents...and he hates the beige refrigerators too....speaking of which...one of our board has had a follow up with the PUC regarding these utility company issues. The PUC person they spoke with encourages people to approach the problems 3 ways when utility companies aren't cooperating: (1) Contact your local municipality and State Reps and State Senators, (2) Write your local papers, (3) Complete an informal complaint form with the PUC online.

As we hear it, because the big bad beige boxes of wrong that Verizon has mounted in every municipality near and far create safety hazards, local municipalities could file formal complaints on behalf of the citizenry of various townships and make Verizon move the boxes UP. After all, we hear formal complaints to the PUC get in front of a judge, right?

So, here's the PUC website again:

http://www.puc.state.pa.us/

http://www.puc.state.pa.us/general/filecomplaints.aspx

http://www.puc.state.pa.us/general/contactus.aspx

And here is what Lower Merion Township put online at www.lowermerion.org after the utility summit:

PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMUNITY FORUM
CONTACT PHONE NUMBERS

At the August 15th Public Utilities Community Forum, the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission, PECO, Aqua Pennsylvania and Verizon presented the following contact information as a resource for residents:

PENNSYLVANIA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION (PUC) complaints:

PUC informal complaints may be registered by calling 1-800-782-1110 or by visiting the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission website at www.puc.state.pa.us.
The formal complaint process involves a legal proceeding before a Commission administrative law judge. Further information on the formal complaint process and necessary forms to file can be downloaded from the aforementioned PUC website.
PECO

Power Outages — 1-800-841-4141
Gas Emergencies/Odors — 1-800-841-4141
Call Before You Dig — 811
Customer Service — 1-800-494-4000
Street Light Repairs (Montgomery County) — 610-983-4902
AQUA PENNSYLVANIA

Bill Miller, Manager - 610-541-4163
Mike Fili, Superintendent - 610-328-7713
Tim Lloyd, Business Liaison - 610-645-1118
Customer Service - 610-525-1400
Emergency (after hours and weekends) - 610-525-1402
VERIZON

Traditional/copper telephone, DSL Internet - 1-800-640-4155
FiOS telephone/Internet/TV - inquiries, new orders - 1-888-GET-FIOS (1-888-438-3467)
FiOS telephone/Internet/TV - billing, repair - 1-800-553-1555