Jordan Greenway Trails | Whitehall Township

SSM prepared construction drawings for a one-mile section of paved multi-use trail along the Jordan Creek within property owned by Whitehall Township. SSM also prepared required documentation to obtain an NPDES permit for stormwater management and a Joint Permit from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection for the construction of bridge abutments and a pedestrian bridge within the floodway and of trail sections within the floodplain of the Jordan Creek. The trail includes a 180’ span pedestrian bridge over the Jordan Creek. Funding was provided in part by a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation grant; as such the plans and procedures all followed PennDOT protocol and the project was let by PennDOT.

SSM was responsible for design, permitting, Right-of-Way clearance, Utility clearance, and preparation of a PennDOT P, S & E package. Funding was also provided in part by a Pennsylvania DCNR grant.

Pagoda Upgrades, City of Reading

Standing on the mountaintop at 620 feet above the city of Reading, PA is a Berks County historical claim to fame - the Pagoda.

• Commissioned in 1906 at a cost of $50,000 by William A. Witman, Sr. to cover his stone quarry, the Pagoda was completed in 1908. It was originally intended to be a luxury resort atop Mt. Penn, but due to the bank foreclosure and the denial of a liquor license, Witman never opened the Pagoda. By 1910 the Pagoda and surrounding 10 acres were deeded to local business owner, Jonathon Mould and his wife, Julia (Bell). On April 21, 1911 they "sold" the Pagoda to the City of Reading for the sum of $1. Since then the Pagoda has been owned, loved and cared for by the citizens and City of Reading.
• The Pagoda is 7 stories high, 28 feet wide, and 50 feet long - standing
• 620 feet above the City of Reading. There are a total of 87 steps to the top.
• The walls are 5 feet thick at the base tapering to 2 feet thick at the top of the second floor, from there to the top, they are frame-covered with terra-cotta shingles - there are 60 tons of tiles on the Pagoda. 
• Before the days of radio broadcasting, lights flashed as signals to the people of Reading. Morse Code was used to direct fireman, promote fundraising campaigns and give the public results of sporting events. The Code was based on the lights - a white light was a dash, while a red light was a dot.
• The bell on the 7th floor was cast in Japan in 1739. It was purchased by Witman and shipped via the Suez Canal to New York Harbor, and arrived by rail in Reading on May 5, 1907.
• The fish sculptures on the roof are to protect the Pagoda from fire.
• Every year at 9pm on Christmas Eve the Pagoda lights flash to let the children know that Santa is on his way.

Spotts, Stevens and McCoy (SSM) provided a Topographical and Building survey using conventional and HDS (High Definition Scanning) technology. The job included surveying the areas around the building in order to design and construct a Japanese garden and improve the parking area below the large stone walls that surround the Pagoda.

SSM also performed geotechnical investigations in the areas of the existing and future retaining walls at the lower entrance.  Designs for the new walls, parking lot expansion and landscaping in the terrace garden were also provided. This included the design of a driveway with parking and handicap accessibility along Duryea Drive and creation of the new garden on the existing terrace. To complete this phase, structural repairs and stabilization designs for the building, walls and landscape would be provided, as well as minor plumbing modifications.

Following these designs, SSM prepared plans to upgrade and expand the Pagoda’s outdated and inefficient HVAC systems, as well as replaced the unique exterior lighting with energy-efficient LED lighting.

Elevated Storage Tank Repainting

After more than 47 years, Muhlenberg Township Authority initiated the enhancement of their townscape by revamping the familiar 1.0 MGAL elevated water storage tank located on Tuckerton Road.

Spotts, Stevens and McCoy was chosen to provide consulting services to the skyscraping structure and its accessories, which were untouched since its original construction in 1971.  The project included preparing bid specifications to publically bid the project and obtain the necessary PADEP permits to paint the interior of the tank. 

SSM assisted in coordinating proper removal, disposal, and repainting of the interior and exterior of the tank in the time requested to suit the Authority needs. SSM worked together with the Township, PADEP and the contractor to ensure all processes and material disposal met state, local and federal safety standards. During construction the tank was upgraded to meet OSHA standards.

Source Water Protection

Building a Regional Network

Water is essential for survival and it must be managed sustainably. With the need for quality source water and drinking water, the River Alert Information Network (RAIN) is working to expand monitoring, education & outreach, and a network in the region. A recent relaunch of the RAIN website, rainmatters.org, moves in a more modern direction. On the new website, you can find a blog dedicated to water quality issues and source water protection, the interactive map showing monitoring data, and information about source water in the region. This website gives RAIN an opportunity to grow the network, including water authorities, governmental organizations, local water organizations, and even local emergency response personnel.

The current network of over 50 members supports 23 monitoring sites collecting information on parameters such as pH, conductivity, turbidity, and dissolved oxygen. These parameters collect data that is used to make informed decisions about water treatment for quality drinking water. This data is useful not only for water treatment facilities but also for local organizations interested in water, as the data is available to the public on the website. This data can also be found at the Carnegie Science Center at the new RAIN exhibit within the H2Oh! Exhibit.

RAIN also participates in the development of source water protection plans, helping water authorities in the network prepare for emergencies along the rivers. These plans include recognition of potential sources of contamination and opportunities for education and outreach in each of their communities.  RAIN recognizes that if we hope to improve the quality of our water, the network and communities must work together to make it happen.

For more information, visit us at rainmatters.org or contact Tori Kapopoulos at tori.rainmatters@gmail.com.

Staff News - Welcome Aboard!

Chelsea Carl | Marketing Coordinator

Brian Hassinger, PE | Sr. Project Manager

SSM welcomes Marketing Coordinator Chelsea Carl to the firm. Chelsea is a 2014 graduate of The Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications.

SSM welcomes Brian Hassinger, PE  to the firm as a Senior Project Manager in the Water and Wastewater Engineering and Operations Department. Mr. Hassinger brings 35 years of civil and water/wastewater design, engineering, operations and management experience to SSM. Hassinger will be providing client management, project management and operations management support and engineering expertise to SSM’s extensive water/wastewater and municipal client base.