Officials from the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission provided an update Tuesday on the next segment of the Northeast Extension widening project. A plan to improve a six-mile segment between Clump Road in Lower Salford Township and the John Fries Highway (Route 663) in Milford Township is currently under design. Construction could begin in 2022.

            Current work to widen the toll road between Clump Road and the Lansdale Interchange which began early last year, is expected to conclude in the fall of 2020 according to Kevin Scheurich, a senior engineer project manager with the commission.

            Scheurich and colleague Joe Serbu told the public at the Indian Valley Middle School that the project remains on schedule.

            According to Serbu, half the work along the seven mile stretch is complete. During the meeting, organized by state Sen. Bob Mensch, R-24th District, Serbu told the crowd that crews need to "flip the traffic" within the next two weeks to finish on time.

            As part of its proposal for the northern portion, turnpike officials will recommend that crews dump rocks and stone extracted by the expansion on four parcels owned by the commission. According to Scheurich, the material will be graded, contoured and seeded for erosion control and aesthetics.

            After the meeting, he said all four properties can handle 250,000 cubic yards of debris. Scheurich added that each area will need seeded with short natural grasses that require low maintenance.

            A parcel on Clump Road, near the intersection of Wambold Road, can receive up to 19,000 cubic yards. A PowerPoint presentation estimated a maximum height increase of 20 feet.

            Approximately 9,000 cubic yards could be stored at a location on Upper Ridge Road, just south of Old Woods Road in Milford Township. Commission officials estimate that 20 feet could be added to the ground.

            Two additional parcels north of the John Fries Highway, located on either side of the Quakertown Interchange could accommodate most of the additional materials. Commission officials estimate those totals at 126,000 and 27,000 cubic yards, respectively.

            According to Scheurich, the proposal will not increase the cost of the project. He said the work would be included in bid process.

            After the meeting Mensch described the proposal to handle the additional material as acceptable. He said the proposal is also being considered by the Montgomery County Conservation District and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

            "This is not an unusual solution," Mensch said.

            The senator said he facilitated the meeting to disseminate information long in advance of the start of the work, Mensch said he expects it to trigger a public conversation.

            The accumulation of excess rock and stone in Lower Salford from the current widening in has created a concern among residents and supervisors. Last year, one pile of materials on a Cassel Road property grew to a height of 75 feet. The issue in the township remains unsettled, according to Mensch.