Public Works

Charles Nipe, Director of Public Works
Elwood Sord, Assistant Director of Public Works/Roadmaster
Arnold Barbour, Operations Supervisor

Sanitation - Street Cleaning

Highways and Streets

Motor Equipment - Central Garage

Engineering

Sanitation Department

The Sanitation Department pursues a commitment to provide a safe, efficient, and effective municipal solid waste collection and disposal system that protects the natural environment, citizens and businesses of Chambersburg. We strive to preserve the quality of life of our citizens through maintaining clean environs today and in the future.

Our Goals:

To safely and efficiently collect residential and commercial solid waste and dispose of it at the landfill

To safely and efficiently collect residential and residental style commercial recyclable materials for processing and reuse

To provide general cleanliness to the Chambersburg community

Residential Customers: 8,063
Commercial Customers: 657

All recyclables are collected curbside at a designated spot adjacent to the customer’s home and removed, loaded in a vehicle, and delivered to a recycling center by contractor personnel in contractor vehicles. In addition, the contract provided one new recycling can for each Chambersburg Sanitation customer. There is no doubt that the quantity of recycled material has increased and the cost of bringing trash to the landfill has decreased over 2016. The quantity of material has increased from 553 tons in the first half of 2019, to 1118 tons in the first half of 2023.

REFUSE SERVICE: The Borough is the exclusive solid waste collection service available for residents and businesses in Chambersburg. To arrange new service call (717) 264-5151. With questions about service, pick up, dumpsters, etc. call (717) 261-3213.

RECYCLING SERVICE: Effective on January 20, 2020, the Borough's Sanitation Department crew will resume collection of our community's residential and residential type business recycling. We will continue to utilize the system adopted in 2016 known as CURBSIDE SINGLE STREAM RECYCLING. However, we will no longer utilize a Borough contractor. If you are a residential sanitation customer, your recycling will be collected by the Borough of Chambersburg Sanitation Department on the same day and in the same location as your trash collection. If you are a small business customer that has been designated by the Sanitation Department as eligible for residential-type collection, your recycling will be collected by the Borough of Chambersburg Sanitation Department on the same day and in the same location as your trash collection. If you are a commercial trash customer, local law requires that you recycle. However, you are responsible for making the arrangements for the installation of a recycling dumpster or other larger container to implement recycling at your business or apartment building. For further details on how commercial customers must implement recycling, call the Sanitation Department at: 717-261-3213.

SINGLE STREAM RECYCLING: No more separating your recycling into separate piles (for example, paper, plastic or metal containers). Everything will go in your one bin and will be collected once per week at the same time and in the same location as your trash. Just place your recycling in your existing recycle bin at the same location as you place your trash. Two trucks will visit your location every week, a Borough trash truck to get your trash and a Borough recycling truck to get your recycling. Our community no longer has a recycling drop off location as all collection is curbside. There are rules for this new service. So for example, all products must be free of food particles. Also, do not include Styrofoam or supermarket plastic bags. In fact, do not include any bags at all. Just place all your recycling items in your Borough provided green recycling container loose once per week for curbside collection. These changes do not impact fall leaf collection or green yard waste drop off. Call 717-261-3213 with any questions.

Here is a handout explaining rules for single stream recycling: Green Yard Waste UBF

STREET SWEEPING: The Borough has a street sweeping program to be followed as long as the weather permits. Any questions can be answered by calling 717-261-3213.

LEAF COLLECTION: The Borough has a leaf collection program in the late fall. Any questions can be answered at 717-261-3213

CHRISTMAS TREE PICK-UP: The Borough has a Christmas tree pickup up scheduled for January of each year. Any questions call 717-261-3213. Click here for info

BULKY ITEM COLLECTION: The Borough provides to all residents a twice-per-year bulky item drop-off program. In 2024, the first event will now be held from April 29th through May 4th. The second event will be held September 23rd through september 28th, and the electronic waste drop-off event, will be held in the Fall from september 11th through september 14th.

Here is a handout explaining rules for bulky item collection: 2024 Spring Bulky UBF
2024 Combined Fall Bulky & E-Waste UBF

GREEN YARD WASTE: The Borough operates a Green Yard Waste recycling center. In 2014, the rules and location of this recycling operation did change. See the enclosed for details: Green Yard Waste SOP. Any questions can be answered at 717-261-3213.

Open From:Tuesday-Saturday 8 a.m. - 6 p.m

The Green Yard Waste Center will open for the season on the first Tuesday in April and will be closed on the 3rd Saturday in November for the season.

Motor Equipment Department

The Motor Equipment Department maintains and repairs the Borough's fleet, and provides safe and affordable internal services to Chambersburg Borough departments. Further, it is the Motor Equipment Department's intention to provide these services in an efficient, economical, and safe work environment for Borough employees.

Highway Department

Highway Department functions include a variety of activities from snow and ice removal to patching streets, overlaying streets and alleys, and cleaning and maintaining the Borough's municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4). Lending a hand to the Sanitation Department (separate enterprise fund) or the Motor Equipment Fund (separate internal service fund), Highway Department personnel are out fixing signs, cleaning storm drain inlets or patching holes almost every day.

POTHOLES: Potholes can be reported 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to 717-263-4111.

SNOW REMOVAL STREETS: Snow removal questions can be answered at 717-264-5151

SNOW ON SIDEWALKS: Sidewalk snow questions can be answered at 717-264-5151

CURBS AND SIDEWALKS: New construction, replacement, and repair of curbs and sidewalks requires a permit. This permit can be obtained by calling 717-264-5151.

STREET OPENINGS: Excavation inside a Borough right-of-way requires a permit. This permit can be obtained by calling 717-264-5151.

ROAD SIGNS: Signs that are damaged or missing can be reported 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to 717-263-4111.

TRAFFIC SIGNALS: Problems with traffic signals can be reported 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to 717-263-4111.

TRAFFIC CALMING PROGRAM: In coordination with the Engineering Department and the Highway Department, the Engineering Department maintains a Traffic Calming Program to improve the safety and livability of streets and neighborhoods by using appropriately designed and implemented traffic calming measures to mitigate the impacts of traffic while creating safer streets for motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists. For more information, please review the Traffic Calming Program Policy as adopted by Chambersburg Council on February 8, 2021, (click here to access pdf file) or call Phil Wolgemuth at 717-251-2436. In addition, for State-owned streets, please refer to the PennDOT Publication 383, which may be revised from time-to-time by the Commonwealth.

PARKING, TRAFFIC, & STREET LIGHTS: Created in 2012, this agency operates like a separate department with a separate set of accounts. Functions include: Downtown Parking, Street Lights, Traffic Signals and Parking & Traffic. As an inter-departmental agency, the mission of this department is Public Safety through the proper management of vehicular infrastructure and regulation under the advice and direction of the Borough’s Parking, Traffic and Street Lights Committee. Services include:

Downtown parking meters and parking lots
Traffic control devices, traffic signals, and speed control devices
Street lights, illumination, and public lighting

Being an inter-departmental agency, the Borough Manager supervises these functions. He is assisted by the Electric Department, the Engineering Department, the Parking & Customer Service Office of the Administrative Services Department, and the Police Department.
The appointed Parking Traffic & Street Lights volunteer committee meets most months and discusses these issues, making recommendations for policy and ordinance changes to Town Council as their advisors.
Documents:
Report: Wilson College Neighborhood Parking Issue
Traffic Signal Improvements Plan
Sharrows - Share the Road with Bicycles Plan
Chambersburg & Wilson College Undertake Streetscape Project
Grant Application - 2017 Multimodal Integration Downtown Improvements Project

Engineering Department

The Engineering Department reviews the design process and inspection of all public works and utility projects. Such projects include, but are not limited to storm sewers, streets, and sidewalks. In general, the Engineering Department provides support services to all Borough departments from preliminary layout to final completion, construction inspections services and guidance for proposed internal development. The Engineering Department maintains a record of all assets within the public right of way.

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Engineering Department