About this Project

The South Valley Parkway (SVP) was built to reduce traffic congestion and enhance safety along SR 2008 in Luzerne County. The project created a new 2.5-mile, four-lane highway on an undeveloped route, featuring a split diamond interchange, six roundabouts (five single-lane and one double-lane), two bridges, a box culvert, and seventeen stormwater management basins. The corridor links Hanover Township with the City of Nanticoke, easing commuter traffic to Luzerne County Community College and rerouting truck traffic away from residential neighborhoods.

AEG provided geotechnical and environmental design support throughout the project lifecycle, including consultations during construction. The new alignment required extensive excavation through bedrock containing coal and black shale, which posed a risk of Acid Rock Drainage (ARD) due to the presence of pyrite. AEG’s design addressed acid-producing rock (APR) by implementing specialized excavation and disposal procedures to mitigate environmental impacts.

Geotechnical services included subsurface exploration for roadway and structure foundations, rock slope stability analysis, rockfall barrier evaluation, blasting oversight, and acid-base accounting for APR treatment. AEG developed foundation recommendations for three main structures: a 150-foot single-span bridge, a nearly 200-foot box culvert, and a 700-foot six-span bridge.

Environmental services included Phase II and Phase III Environmental Site Assessments (ESA), along with air monitoring for volatile organic vapors and landfill gases using a PID and multi-gas meters. AEG also developed a Health and Safety Plan and a Field Sampling Plan to guide ESA implementation at two potential waste sites identified within the project area.