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Board approves Encompass Health revised plan for rehabilitation hospital, accepts pedestrian-bridge alternative after PennDOT ruling
Summary
Supervisors approved Encompass Health’s revised final plan for a two‑phase rehabilitation hospital at 2660 Audubon Road after PennDOT told the applicant that an existing culvert is a bridge; the applicant proposed a pedestrian bridge alternative and offered a fee‑in‑lieu so the township receives the originally expected road improvements.
The Lower Providence Board of Supervisors voted to approve a revised final land-development plan from Encompass Health for a two-phase rehabilitation hospital on vacant property at 2660 Audubon Road.
Amy Farrell, counsel for the applicant, told the board that after prior approvals the applicant met with PennDOT, which concluded the feature that had been treated as a culvert is technically a bridge and could not be extended. ‘‘PennDOT determined that we could not extend that bridge. It would have to be replaced in its entirety,’’ Farrell said, adding that replacement would greatly increase cost and complexity.
As an alternative, the applicant proposed a pedestrian bridge that would preserve full pedestrian connectivity without replacing the bridge itself. Farrell said the pedestrian-bridge option yields roughly a ‘‘little less than a $75,000 quote unquote savings’’ compared with the originally envisioned bridge work. To ensure the township receives the level of public‑realm improvements it expected, the applicant offered a fee‑in‑lieu that staff said could be used as match funding for other roadway or sidewalk projects.
Board members asked technical questions about foundation locations and flooding given prior storm events; the applicant and township staff said the pedestrian‑bridge foundations and location would be designed to avoid conflicts and to leave right‑of‑way available for any future PennDOT widening.
A member of the public asked who would pay for future widening if PennDOT later required a replacement; staff said the township would pursue grant matches and that a PennDOT‑led project would be larger and funded by PennDOT. The board praised the applicant for working with neighbors and township staff.
Chair Darby moved to approve the revised plan; the motion was seconded and passed by voice vote.
