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Jenkins Twp. supervisors approve request by developers of CenterPoint industrial park.

JENKINS TWP. – The board of supervisors voted unanimously on Friday to permanently close a portion of New Boston Road in the CenterPoint Commerce and Trade Park at the request of Mericle Commercial Real Estate officials.
The two-lane New Boston Road, also known as Armstrong Road, is being closed from state Route 315 to the Pennsylvania Turnpike because the industrial park’s developer constructed Keystone Avenue, a four-lane road to connect the park with Route 315.
The vote was taken after supervisors held a public hearing to allow residents to comment on the issue, but no residents attended the meeting.
“It will be a much larger road, a wider road to serve the industrial park more,” Supervisor Russel Arnone said, noting the new road will provide better and safer traffic flow.
Bryan McManus of Mericle said in order to connect Keystone Avenue to Route 315, New Boston Road must be closed. New Boston Road will eventually be destroyed, but that might not be completed until next year’s construction period, he said.
Supervisors also accepted responsibility to maintain the completed Keystone Avenue and Centerpoint Boulevard, a two-lane street just off Keystone.
Mericle paid to construct the new streets as part of their multi-acre industrial park, but the township will be responsible for maintaining them and clearing snow until Luzerne County takes control of the roadways.
Board Chairman Joseph Zelonis said the township will work on implementing plans to ensure snow is cleared from Armstrong Road.
He said the township might do some of the work or contract it out to private snow-removal companies.
The county does not take control of Keystone Avenue until all the roads in the industrial park are completed, according to a county resolution passed in November 2006.
It is unknown when all the industrial park’s roadways will be finished.
In other business, the supervisors announced the municipal building will be closed Nov. 6 on Election Day.