Proposed Duncannon interchange, TIP amendments discussed in Picture Perry update

Perry County planning staff told municipal participants that amendments to the Picture Perry comprehensive plan and the regional transportation program include a proposed partial (half‑diamond) interchange near Duncannon and other projects that must move into the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for federal funding consideration.

Jason Finnerty, county planning coordinator, said the HATS technical committee recently forwarded a recommendation on the regional transportation plan and reminded attendees that the Picture Perry website includes proposed amendments and the amendment cycle. “If you go to picture Perry comp plan parenthesis extension … we’ve posted each year’s amendments with the amendment cycle,” Finnerty said, directing municipalities to document project requests so they can be considered for the TIP.

Officials discussed the interchange concept in general terms and cautioned that such projects require a needs statement, environmental clearances and phased preliminary and final design work; participants estimated it would take several years before construction, depending on right of way, design choices and federal funding cycles. A speaker noted that projects passing through the regional process commonly face the “biggest hurdle” of securing federal clearances and right‑of‑way arrangements.

Separately, an attendee described PennDOT’s planned demolition and replacement work at the Dock Street Dam and recommended reusing masonry stone from the demolished structure for downstream channel stabilization, which could reduce quarry and hauling costs.

Finnerty said the county is beginning work on the 2027–2030 TIP cycle and encouraged municipalities to raise any projects that should be considered. The planning work group will compile the meeting’s summaries and reconvene to track amendments and next steps.