Public Works Department Budget Narrative

The Public Works Department consists of the Highway Department, Vehicle Maintenance Department and the Refuse Department. The Highway Department is responsible for maintenance of roads. This includes street maintenance, street paving, traffic control, leaf collection, mulch processing, Christmas tree collection, storm sewer maintenance, stream maintenance, snow and ice control, traffic signals, and streetlights. The Vehicle Maintenance Department maintains all township vehicles including specialty equipment such as lawn mowers, chain saws, and line painting equipment. The Refuse Department is responsible for picking up trash, recyclables, yard waste, large items, and the operation of the Trash Transfer Station.

• Goal: Prepare and respond to all types of weather emergencies. (Focus Areas: Excellent Public Services (EPS) and Fiscal Sustainability (FS))
  • Strategy #1: Inspect and maintain all equipment and vehicles to ensure optimal performance. (FS 1)
  • Strategy #2: Ensure that all needed supplies are readily available. Example: Rock Salt and Diesel/Gasoline. (FS 1 & 4)
  • Strategy #3: Continually communicate with Emergency Management, the Police Department, the School District, and any other Stakeholders involved. (EPS 1 & 6)
  • Strategy #4: Monitor the weather conditions and reports from the National Weather Service. (EPS 1, 4, & 5)

• Goal: Continue to offer the annual leaf collection program and continually process collected leaves. (Fiscal Sustainability (FS), Excellent Public Services (EPS) and Sustainable Infrastructure (SI))
  • Strategy #1: Inspect and maintain all needed trucks and leaf vacuum units. (FS 1)
  • Strategy #2: Ensure that all seasonal laborers have been hired and properly trained to efficiently perform the job requirements. (EPS 2 & 3)
  • Strategy #3: Ensure all leaves are collected and processed into an environmentally friendly marketable leaf compost. (SI 5)

• Goal: Continue to update all street name signs, regulatory signs, line painting, and roadway markings to meet PennDOT standards. (Focus Area: Sustainable Infrastructure (SI))
  • Strategy #1: Manage and schedule all Work Orders through our shared system with the Abington Police Traffic Safety Division. (SI 1 & 2)
  • Strategy #2: Annually inspect all PennDOT permitted intersections and update as needed. (SI 1 & 2)

• Goal: Keep roadways and streams clear of debris to meet MS4 reporting requirements. (Focus Area: Sustainable Infrastructure (SI))
  • Strategy #1: Continue to have our street sweepers cover all roadways multiple times throughout the year. (SI 1)
  • Strategy #2: Regularly schedule crews to clean all storm drains and streams. (SI 1 & 3)
  • Strategy #3: Continually monitor our streams and roadways for contaminants. (SI 1 & 3)

• Goal: Continue to maintain all 86 signalized intersections, approximately 5,000 streetlights, 65 flashing warning devices and provide updated improvements where needed. (Focus Areas: Fiscal Sustainability (FS), Sustainable Infrastructure (SI) and Inclusive Community (IC))
  • Strategy #1: Complete PennDOT's 2017 Green Light Go (GLG) Grant, 2018 Automated Red Light Enforcement Grant, and 2019 GLG grant improvement projects. (FS 3, SI 1, 2 & 6, IC 2)
  • Strategy #2: Replace existing traffic lights with LED bulbs as needed. (SI 1, 2 & 5)
  • Strategy #3: Pursue grants such as PennDOT’s GLG and ARLE Grants to enhance and/or expand existing infrastructure. (FS 3, SI 1, 2 & 6, IC 2)

• Goal: Maintain and service over 300 vehicles and specialty equipment for the Township. (Focus Areas: Fiscal Sustainability (FS), Sustainable Infrastructure (SI) and Excellent Public Services (EPS))
  • Strategy #1: Evaluate, repair, and maintain inoperative and damaged vehicles and equipment regularly. (FS 3, SI 1, 2 & 3, EPS 1)
  • Strategy #2: Conduct safety inspections and provide preventive maintenance services to the entire township fleet, large specialty equipment, and small engine equipment. (FS 3, SI 1, 2 & 3, EPS 1)
  • Strategy #3: Research replacement options and develop replacement plan for new vehicles and equipment. (FS 3, SI 1, 2, 3 & 5)
  • Strategy #4: Continuing education and advanced training on the evolving technologies in the automotive industry and specialty equipment. (SI 2, EPS 2, 3 & 6)

• Goal: Continue to provide excellent curbside collection programs for trash and recycling. (Focus Areas: Fiscal Sustainability (FS), Sustainable Infrastructure and Excellent Public Services (EPS))
  • Strategy #1: Look for opportunities to improve services, streamline operations for efficiency, and utilize online technology to better serve the residents. (FS 1, 2 & 3, SI 1, 2 & 5, EPS 1)
  • Strategy #2: Continue public education through truck graphics, information dissemination, and hosting of recycling events to inform the public and divert materials from the waste stream. (FS 2, SI 5, EPS 4 & 5)
  • Strategy #3: Pursue grants such as the Pa-DEP Recycling Program for both equipment and performance. (FS 2, SI 5)
  • Strategy #4: Continue to evaluate existing programs for cost-effective changes. (FS 1, 2 & 3)

During 2024, the Public Works Department had several notable accomplishments:

• The Department will have paved over 15 miles of roads including milling 232,000 square yards of roadways and applying 21,000 tons of new asphalt.
• Collected and mulched over 31,500 cubic yards of leaves.
• Collected and processed 4,800 Christmas trees.
• Collected over 2,500 tons of commingle recycling.
• Collected over 3,300 tons of paper recycling.
• Collected over 18,100 tons of solid waste.
• Completed upgrades to the intersections of Meetinghouse/Beverly/Fairy Hill Roads and Jenkintown Road/Forrest Avenue which included new traffic signals, thermo-plastic pavement markings and handicap sidewalk ramp installations. 
• Successfully managed a variety of weather-related events with an extremely dedicated workforce that worked tirelessly for many hours to clear the roadways making them safe for travel.
• The Department supported our Construction Services Division on numerous capital improvement projects as well as Wastewater and Parks and Recreation Department projects.
• Our Property Maintenance Team completed many projects and made all needed repairs at township-owned facilities located throughout the township.
• Our Masonry Craftsmen Crew assisted our Construction Services Team on many projects as well as rebuilding stormwater structures and replacing sidewalks at Township owned properties.
• Completed the realigning of the intersection of Oakdale Avenue and Mt. Carmel Avenue which included curb replacement and applying thermo-plastic street lining. 
• Completed a higher wattage LED street light improvement project on Herkness and Stocton Roads.
• All department personnel achieved Traffic Flagger Certification as well as certification in Chain Saw Operation and Advanced Chain Saw Operations.
• Purchased three new refuse/recycling trucks including (1) side arm, (1) rear loading, and (1) tri-axle roll off container truck with (3) 40-yard containers for use in hauling our commingle and paper recycling to Republic processing facilities.
• Continued a multi-year contract with Republic Services to process all of our curbside recycling materials.
• Our highly skilled Vehicle Maintenance Division repaired and serviced over 200 official use vehicles, police cars, trucks, and various pieces of construction equipment throughout the year.
• The Sign Shop Crew repainted all roadway lines and logos. They also replaced hundreds of faded street name and regulatory signs.
• The Sign Crew also completed over 300 Police Department work order requests for new or damaged signs as well as delivering cones and barricades for almost 100 special Eevents.

HIGHWAY DIVISION: STREET MAINTENANCE PROGRAM

Abington's Street Maintenance repairs and maintains more than 200 miles of township roadways including temporary and permanent street patching, streets overlay, street sweeping, traffic legends and line painting, as well as regulatory sign repair and replacement.

VEHICLE MAINTENANCE DIVISION

The purpose of the Vehicle Maintenance Division is to provide maintenance to the township fleet of all departments in an efficient and timely manner.

TRAFFIC SIGNAL AND MAINTENANCE DIVISION

This division provides for operation, maintenance, repair, and construction of new and existing traffic signals, and street lights. In addition, this division maintains school speed limit flashing beacons, fire station beacons and other types of flashing signals.

REFUSE DIVISION

The Refuse Division of Abington Township is working to create a safe, sustainable environment for all its residents. This division partners with its residents to lead the way in environmentally responsible waste removal and disposal. Abington Township works side by side with its residents to lower the cost of waste disposal.

Abington Township has always been at the forefront of recycling. We consistently look for ways to increase our recycling rates and to keep the programs that we have implemented sustainable and cost effective. On a regular basis we remind our residents of the importance of recycling, the proper way to recycle and the economics of recycling. We accomplish this through many sources some of which include our calendar, newsletters, mailings, advertisements on the side of our recycling trucks, etc.

The recent downward spiral in the markets for recycled materials has caused us to shift our focus to the monitoring of our present recycling programs and make adjustments to improve efficiency and capture maximum value rather than the expansion of any programs.

Sustainability of Refuse Division

Abington Township utilizes a hybrid Pay As You Throw Program along with an enterprise fund. With an enterprise fund the harder residents work at recycling the higher the payback to them. They therefore control their own costs for services. Through this partnership with the residents and the township's efforts to control costs and generate revenues, it has been a very successful collaboration. To date the residents pay less for their fees than they did in 2006 when we began to implement the program.

The rapid escalation of costs for recycling and refuse collection disposal acted as a catalyst for changes in solid waste management in Abington Township. Thus began the looking into the feasibility of revamping our trash and recycling programs with the long-range goal of stabilizing the ever-increasing costs of trash disposal and providing a much fairer and equitable system of collection while building a sustainable recycling program.

The automated trash collection and recycling program is an efficient way of picking up and disposing of our trash and recyclables. The system is less costly to operate, is more efficient, provides for cleaner neighborhoods on trash day, is environmentally friendly, increases recycling and reduces our disposal trash tonnages. The standardized carts with wheels come in different sizes and are easy to maneuver.

We put together a hybrid variable rate automated collection program wherein the resident pays for the size of their refuse container and also receives automated carts for paper and commingle recyclables. The hybrid system rewards the residents for their waste reduction by reducing their refuse collection fee. This system has enabled Abington Township to achieve a 57% waste diversion rate along with a 32% cost reduction for collection. The Automated Variable Rate Collection Program coupled with our hedged recycling market paybacks have ensured that our recycling program will remain fully sustainable well into the future.

The institution of the single day, once per week collection of all trash, paper, commingle and yard waste has also helped us to remain sustainable. We use different trucks to collect the four types of material so that they are not picked up at the same time, just on the same day. Concentrated efforts in a given area reduce carbon emissions and reduce missed collections. The collection routes are better balanced to ensure timely pick up and efficient service. Additional trucks were necessary for the increase in the recyclables and enabled the township to speed up the collection progress. Abington Township has saved annually by going to this system. This will keep solid waste fees stabilized.

Some of the prime factors that affect our sustainability are increased maintenance and fuel costs along with market changes for recycling commodities. To this end we have entered into a long term contract that will ensure us of a steady income for our recyclables regardless of the fluctuation in the markets.

Refuse Division and Education

We have partnered with many of our local environmental groups including our Environmental Advisory Council, the Briar Bush Nature Center, our local schools and churches to assist in enabling us to further educate the residents as to the benefits and importance of recycling and the proper ways to accomplish our goals. We have put together videos and slide presentations that will be shown throughout our schools, at public meetings, on our access channel and at our libraries. These educational materials explain where the recyclables go, how they are recycled and made into new products, proper recycling techniques and the benefits of recycling in relation to the environment.

The recycling truck itself is a mobile billboard used to educate residents in our recycling collection program. An example of this being, on one side of the truck it has the slogan, “If it’s paper and it Tears RECYCLE IT”. The other side of the truck has the slogan, “Place your recyclable carts out for collection only when they are at least half full”. Obviously, it is more economical for trucks to make stops for full or nearly full carts as residents are not putting all carts out each week. The collection routes are now better balanced to ensure timely pick up and efficient service.

Refuse Collection

Abington Township’s trash collection takes place once a week. Residents only need to remember to wheel their trash and recycling containers to the curb on one day a week. On the resident’s scheduled trash day, the trash should be placed at curbside by 7:00 am.

The 95, 65 or 35-gallon green refuse cart provided by the township is the proper container for trash collection. Requests for larger or smaller size cans and can repair requests can be made Monday – Friday by calling the Refuse Department at 267-536-1036 during normal business hours. Exchanges and repairs are completed weekdays and typically are coordinated with the resident’s trash pick-up day.

Large Item Pickup

Abington Township has a large item pick up service. A large item pickup must be scheduled and payment made in advance. Please visit the Public Works Department on the Township website to schedule and pay for a large item pickup.

Large item pickups can also be scheduled by mail. A request may be sent to Abington Township at 1176 Old York Road, Abington, PA, 19001, Attention: Refuse Department. Include a description of the item or items to be picked up. Enclose a check made payable to Abington Township Refuse Department in the proper amount for the items being picked up. (Look online at Abington Township’s website to see the cost of the different items). Also include the resident's name and the address where the items will be collected, along with a telephone number so a message can be left informing the resident of the scheduled date for pick up.

Additional Information on Large Item Pickup:

• If the item to be picked up consists of metal, the day normally scheduled will be either on a Wednesday or Friday.
• If the item to be picked up is not made of metal, the normally scheduled day will be either a Tuesday or a Thursday.
• Once an item has been scheduled for pick up, place it curbside by 7:00 am on the scheduled date.
• Large amounts of trash such as garage and house clean out appointments must be made through the Refuse Department. The fee will be determined according to the amount of trash. Contact the Refuse Department at (267) 536-1036 or (267) 536-1034 to schedule an appointment date for someone to come out to your residence to determine the fee.
• The Township does not accept propane tanks. Propane tanks can be taken to a Montgomery County Hazardous Waste Collection.

Recycling in Abington Township

Before knowing the importance and benefits of recycling and its relation to a better environmental condition, it is essential to understand what recycling is. Recycling refers to the process of collecting used materials which are usually considered as “waste” and reprocessing them. In this procedure these used materials are sorted and processed to be used as “raw materials” to produce new products. It varies from “reuse” in the sense that while reuse just means using old products repeatedly, recycling means using the core elements of an old product as raw material to manufacture new goods. Some of the most common items that are recycled are plastic, glass, paper, batteries, aluminum, etc.

Recycling has become a way of life for the residents of Abington Township. Abington has one of the strongest waste reduction and recycling programs in the state. The Township is preventing tons of material from unnecessary landfill disposal every day.

When new products are manufactured from the raw material obtained from recycled products, it saves energy which is consumed for production. When new products are manufactured from “virgin materials," the amount of energy consumed is much higher. Add to that the energy which is required to clean and protect the environment from the pollutant waste products, especially those which are non-biodegradable (plastic) and fill up the landfill areas.

Recyclables in Abington Township are collected curbside. It is requested that residents place recyclables curbside by 7:00 am on collection day. In the event your collection day occurs on a holiday, paper/junk mail and cans and bottles will be collected single stream on the township's next working day, but there will be no collection of yard debris until the following week for those two areas.

Guidelines:

Abington Township Commingle Collection

Commingle recycling is picked up on the same day as your regular trash collection. The mix is placed in the blue commingle recycling cart provided to you by the township and is picked up by a separate truck than the trash truck on your scheduled pick-up day. The commingle mix consists of plastics #1 through #7, unbroken clear, brown and blue glass and aluminum and steel cans.

Abington Township picks up plastics

• #1 - Soda and water bottles, medicine containers, food trays that go into the oven and other common consumer product containers.

• #2 - Heavier containers that hold laundry detergents and bleaches as well as milk, shampoo and motor oil, butter and yogurt tubs, cereal box liners, etc.

• #3 - Window cleaner and shampoo and cooking oil bottles, clear food packaging, etc.

• #4 - Squeezable bottles.

• #5 - Tupperware, syrup and ketchup bottles, caps, etc.

• #6 - Lids or food containers like those covering meat/veggie trays, cinnamon roll containers, cookie boxes, etc.

• #7 - Three- and five-gallon water bottles.

The Department also collects green, brown and clear glass. The 3 C's: Colored, Clear and Clean glass, jars & bottles, in addition to aluminum and steel cans, which can have labels. It does not accept broken glass, window glass, drinking glasses, cookware, or light bulbs.

Container Replacement

Should your recycling cart become damaged, or you feel your paper or commingle can is either too large or too small, contact the department at (267) 536-1036 or (267) 536-1034 for information on a replacement.

Commercial Recycling in Abington Township

Commercial, municipal and institutional establishments are required to create and operate recycling programs. This includes apartment buildings with four or more units. The law requires the following items be recycled:

• High grade office paper which includes white and colored paper, envelopes, computer paper and reports with covers
• Cardboard and corrugated paper
• Aluminum. This generally means cans. Our community includes anything made of metal.
• Leaf Waste

Abington Township’s Yard Waste Collection Program

Yard waste is picked up year-round on the same day as your regular trash is collected. It is collected curbside in brown biodegradable bags and includes normal lawn and garden debris such as leaves, brush, grass clippings, twigs, pruning and small branches (not more than 3 inches in diameter and no longer than 3 feet in length). Under no circumstances will plastic bags be accepted. Brown biodegradable paper bags can weigh no more than 30 lbs. Hard rubber/plastic store purchased trash cans can be filled with yard waste not weighting more than 30 lbs. and placed at the curb on your normal collection day.

Brush and tree limbs for disposal must be cut into maximum 3 feet lengths and 3 inches in diameter. It must be bundled, tied and placed curbside on your normal trash day. Bring no brush or tree limbs to the highway yard. You must contact your own contractor to get rid of tree limbs and branches which are larger than 3 inches in diameter and/or which are longer than 3 feet in length. Do not include stones, rocks or dirt with the yard waste recycling. Material is shredded and made into compost.

Fall Leaf Collection

The Township is divided into 15 areas labeled “A” through “O”. Residents can also bag their leaves in biodegradable bags for collection on their regular trash day. Vacuum leaf collection results in 43,000 cubic yards of leaves which are windrowed and turned frequently to make compost for residents to be available in the spring.

The Abington Township’s Fall Leaf Program consists of two loose leaf collections. Rake only leaves to the curb. Do not include twigs or branches, which may jam the leaf machines. Do not put leaves into the street immediately after a collection. The leaf collection areas and schedule can be found on page 35 of the township calendar and on the township’s website. You must have your leaves curbside on Monday of the scheduled week of pickup, as the leaf truck will pass by only once during the week.

The Department will make every attempt to maintain the schedule, but residents should be prepared for delays due to inclement weather. Conversely, there will be times when the collection runs smoothly thereby enabling a jump-start on the next area. If this is the case the vacuum machines will return on Monday for the scheduled collection.

Bagged Leaves

Use biodegradable bags only for leaf collection that can be purchased from retail stores. Put the bagged leaves at the curb on the same day as your regularly scheduled refuse pickup. A separate truck will be around to collect these bags. Grass clippings may also be included in the brown biodegradable bags. Do not put trash, dirt, rocks, or other foreign debris into the biodegradable bags. Never discard leaves or yard waste with regular trash.

Brush and tree limbs are collected weekly on your regularly scheduled trash collection day. Brush and tree limbs will only be taken if they are bundled and tied. The maximum is 3 foot lengths and 3 inches in diameter.

Landscape Contractors

Landscape Contractors can dump leaves at the Public Works Yard free-of-charge after proper forms are completed by the homeowner. The gardener is expected to cooperate with the collection schedule. Do not park on top of leaves since heat from a vehicle may ignite the leaves. Landscapers (with permits) and homeowners (showing proof of residency) can drop off their leaves Monday through Friday 7:30 am to 3 pm at the Public Works Yard on weekdays only during leaf collections season. Please no drop-off from 12:00 to 12:30 pm. There is no charge for this service.

Christmas Tree Collection

Christmas trees are collected in January and made into compost. We ask that you place your discarded tree curbside on your regular trash day beginning the first trash day of the year. They are collected through the end of the month. A designated truck will collect the trees. Christmas trees and all greenery are included in this recycling collection.

The trees and greenery should be free of all decorations, wires and tree stands. The trees will be taken to the Public Works facility and chipped into mulch for residents' use in the spring. Trees will be collected curbside only; no trees can be taken to the Public Works yard by residents.

Abington Township and Composting

The composting facility also known as the highway yard is at the "dead end" of Florey Lane. Florey Lane is directly across the street from Burger King's driveway on Easton Road at the intersection of Edge Hill Road.

Public Works Highway Yard

2201 Florey Lane

Abington, PA 19001

(267) 536-1036

There are two types of mulch available, yard debris compost mulch and leaf compost mulch. The yard debris compost mulch is a mixture of the residents' brush, tree limbs, grass clipping and leaves which have been collected in the brown biodegradable bags. These materials had been previously put into the landfill. The leaf compost much is composed of leaves which were raked curbside. The Township adds no chemicals to the product.

Benefits of Composting

The real beneficiaries are the end users of compost and mulch. Adding compost to soil increases the organic matter content of the soil. Organic matter is a key component of healthy soil. Increased organic matter helps a soil’s water dynamics, which means plants are more drought resistant. Compost also provides slow-release nutrients for plants and can help reduce soil borne diseases. Mulch helps conserve soil moisture and reduce weeds. Eventually, the mulch breaks down and adds organic matter to the soil as well.

Changing our lawn management practices can divert thousands of tons of yard trimmings from the landfill. The more we can reduce our dependence on landfills by increasing the reuse of our natural resources, the greener Mother Earth will be for generations to come.

Distribution of Compost

In early spring mulch may be picked up by residents of Abington Township at the highway yard between the hours of 7:30 am and 3:00 pm WEEKDAYS only.

Mulch is also transported to Alverthorpe Park, which is located on Forrest Avenue in Jenkintown, Crestmont Park which is located on Old Welsh Road & Cummings Avenue, Willow Grove, Pa. directly across the street from Willow Grove Mall, and Baederwood Park which is located on Highland Avenue in Abington. These areas are open to residents 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our mulch is a very popular item and does not last long.

Cost of Mulch

If the resident loads the mulch, there is no cost to the resident. The cost for the township loading mulch into privately owned vehicles at the highway yard is $2.50 per cubic yard.

Recycling Events

Clean Out Week

We have implemented as part of the program two yearly township wide cleanups where the residents can clean up the inside and outside of their homes, separate all recyclables and place everything with the exception of large items, E-Waste materials and hazardous waste at curbside for collection. We also are working with many private and non profit groups to clean up other facilities, ie parks, wooded areas and the like.

Shredding Events

Abington Township sponsors two shredding events each year. The first takes place in April, the second in October. The events are held at the Abington Township Highway Yard. Residents are encouraged to bring personal and confidential documents and files to the event. A few examples of what to bring include obsolete tax documents, bank statements, cancelled checks, etc. Residents may not bring newspapers, books, magazine plastic covering or cardboard.

Electronics Collection

Abington Township is also proud to offer their residents the opportunity to responsibly recycle obsolete electronics. This service is available to all residents. This event takes place two times a year, once in February, and a second in November.

The following will be accepted at no charge:

• Computers, laptops and related equipment (working & not working)
• Networking equipment
• Printers and related equipment (working & not working)
• Office and home electronics (working & not working)
• Wire, cables, AC adapters, holiday light strings
• UPS batteries
• Window mount air conditioning units
• Microwave units
• Open toner cartridges
•  

There is a fee for televisions and CRT Monitors. We cannot accept projection or console televisions.

There will be a fee for LCD Televisions and CRT Monitors.

Following items will not be accepted:

• Smoke detectors
• Fluorescent bulbs/tubes/lights
• Monitors with broken glass
• Household alkaline batteries
• Furniture, electronics in wooden cases (i.e. old TV consoles, stereos, and speakers)
• Major appliances
• Items with refrigerants

Table of Contents

General Fund (01)

General Government Overview

Public Works Overview

Highway Aid Fund (35)

Refuse Fund (09)