SEPTA’s approves land deals necessary to extend the R3 to Wawa.

SEPTA’s administration and operations committees approved a series of land deals necessary to extend the R3 to Wawa.

The operations committee approved the purchase of nine easements for land related to the extension. Though the SEPTA board approved leases on the properties back in September, “a breakdown in communications” meant that the board didn’t vote on the easements, according to SEPTA general counsel Nick Staffieri.

The easements would be  made retroactive to Sept. 24.

The committee also approved a $1 easement from Langhorne Manor Borough for the installation of a sewer system funded by federal stimulus dollars. The authority plans to buy the land, which it currently leases from the borough for a parking lot, and is agreeing to a temporary easement to start construction in time to meet federal funding requirements.

The committees also approved several contracts related to stimulus work, including a $1.2 million contract to Neshaminy Constructors Inc. for work on the Ryers station renovation project and a $1 contract to Ernest Bock & Sons Inc. for construction work related to renovations at the Folcroft, Clifton-Aldan and Morton regional rail stations.

The administration committee approved two $3.5 million consulting contracts to Burns Engineering and Pennoni Associates Inc. to act as SEPTA’s general engineering consultants for architectural and engineering projects.

It also approved a six-month, $3.7 million extension to CompServices Inc. for managing the authority’s workers compensation managed care program. The authority asked for an extension to give it time to make changes to a request for proposals for a new management contract because of an August Commonwealth Court ruling. This ruling allowed SEPTA to include regional rail workers in the plan, which the authority believes will cut future workers compensation costs and allow it to process claims faster.

The revised RFP was released this week, and a new contract is expected to begin July 1, 2010.

Posted by Anthony Campisi