For May 18---ROAD WATCH COL. (Prom/Graduation Season not season for drinking/driving)
With prom and graduation season upon us, PennDOT reminds young drivers to seriously consider the consequences of drinking and driving.
“The last weeks of the school year are an exciting time, but can have devastating consequences if not celebrated safely – especially behind the wheel,” says PennDOT Secretary Allen Biehler.
“Driving is a complex activity involving multiple tasks and it requires split-second decision making,” he said.
“Drinking alcohol impairs a wide range of skills necessary for carrying out these tasks,” he said.
Drivers between the ages of 16-20 were involved in 1,719 alcohol-related crashes in 2007. Sixty-six of that age were killed in those crashes, including 34 drivers who had been drinking, 25 passengers and seven pedestrians.
Pennsylvania’s Zero Tolerance Law carries serious consequences for those under 21 who are convicted of driving with any amount of alcohol in their blood.
In addition, those under 21 who are convicted of driving under the influence with a .02 blood-alcohol content or greater, face severe penalties, including a 12- to 18-month license suspension, 48 hours to six months in jail and fines from $500 to $5,000.
PennDOT also reminds young drivers that a vehicle does not have to be involved in order for them to lose their driving privileges.
It is against the law for an individual under 21 to consume, possess or transport alcohol, or lie about their age to obtain alcohol and carry a fake identification card. If convicted, the minimum penalties are a fine of up to $500, plus court costs; a 90-day license suspension for the first offense; a one-year suspension for the second offense; and a two-year suspension for the third and subsequent offenses.
PennDOT also reminds young drivers to buckle up no matter where they are seated in a vehicle. Last year, nearly 112 individuals aged 16-20 who died in crashes were not wearing seat belts and 17 of those were riding in the second or third row of the vehicle and one was riding on the exterior of the vehicle.
Barry Bridge Work
Starting May 19, The Commodore Barry Bridge area will undergo major projects with lane closings due to an $8 million deck joint repair project. This will be followed by a $71 million project to build two new ramps to provide direct access between Route 291 (Second Street) and I-95 in Chester.
The $8 million project involves replacing 74 existing compression seal joints with new strip seal joints on the bridge approach structure, according to the Delaware River Port Authority. The DRPA owns/operates four bridges across the Delaware River.
The deck joint job must be completed in a timely manner so PennDOT can build new ramps connecting the bridge with the Chester waterfront, said DRPA Chief Engineer William Brooks.
The project will involve closing two of its five lanes for almost seven months – not good news for seashore and work commuters as the vacation season approaches by Memorial Day.
There will also be a lane restriction on wide-load traffic weekdays on the bridge through the duration of the project, according to DRPA spokesman Ed Kasuba.
Wide loads will be banned eastbound until after noontime.
Westbound wide loads will not be permitted on the bridge after 10:30 a.m. This is because only three of the five lanes will be open at all times during the project.
Two lanes will be open westbound during the morning rush hours and two lanes eastbound will be open during the afternoon rush hours.
The ramp from the Barry Bridge westbound into Pennsylvania to Flower Street will be closed for two months on or about May 19, Kasuba said. Signs are posted.
Also, construction begins early this month on the I-95/U.S. Route 322 (Commodore Barry Bridge) Interchange Improvement Project that will reconstruct the interchange to improve congestion and provide access between I-95 and the Chester waterfront area. The PennDOT project will be done in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration.
Construction is expected to finish by August 2011, according to PennDOT.
The project will provide direct access from Route 322 East and I-95 to Route 291 via a new off-ramp from the Barry Bridge.
A new on-ramp to the bridge from Route 291 will provide access to Route 322 West and I-95 from the Chester waterfront.
This improvement project will reconstruct the interchange connecting two heavily traveled corridors – I-95 and Route 322 – which carries traffic from Chester and Delaware counties eastward to New Jersey via the bridge.
Clearing work will be performed first and some aerial easements must be worked out with some property owners, he said.
Road Rage Survey
Believe it or not, a new national survey on road rage indicates Philadelphia-area drivers appear to be behaving a lot better than those in other major cities nationwide.
Philadelphia ranks 15th among cities with the least courteous drivers, according to the AutoVantage “Driver’s Seat Road Rage Survey.”
Miami was ranked first among the worst, followed by Boston, New York, Baltimore and Washington, D.C. Philadelphia’s ranking actually improved compared to last year’s when it was ninth.
Lowest on the list was Pittsburgh, followed by Portland, Oregon, Seattle, Minneapolis and Cleveland.
DRPA Officer Honored
DRPA Police Officer James Hartnett was selected this year’s winner of the New Jersey Law Enforcement Recognition Award by the New Jersey chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
He will be honored for his exemplary service during an awards ceremony in New Brunswick on June 11. Currently assigned to the Betsy Ross Bridge, Hartnett joined the DRPA police in 1992 and has received 47 letters of commendation. He was named Police Officer of the Year in 2001.
Fuel Price Finder
If you’re looking for the cheapest gas in your region, you can log on to AAA.com and look for the Fuel Price Finder on the home page, according to AAA Mid-Atlantic.
Unlike other online gas price Web sites, AAA’s collects data from more than 100,000 outlets nationwide and comes from actual credit card transactions and direct feeds, not “spotters.”
Locally, 4,000 of the 100,000 outlets are located in Pennsylvania, 300 outlets are in Delaware and 2,600 are in New Jersey.
Price data is updated several times daily. Prices are available for within three, five and 10 miles of an intersection.
Consumer Reports ranked the AAA Fuel Price Finder first among the four “most helpful” online gas price sites last December.
Seven in 10 motorists recently told Gallup pollsters they make an effort to find the cheapest gas around. This makes the AAA Fuel Price Finder invaluable to budget-conscious motorists.
AAA reports it is seeing a significant increase in the usage of its online gas savings and trip planning tools.
Traffic Delays
Upper Providence – Bishop Hollow Road, Aqua utility installation between Cape Cod Drive and Toftwoods 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through May 23.
Haverford – Marple Road, utility installation at Darby Road 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through June 27.
Also, Darby Road, utility installation at College Avenue and Williams Road 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-June 27.
Also, Darby Creek Road, utility installation at Darby Road 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through June 27.
Springfield – Baltimore Pike, Aqua utility installation between Route 320 (Sproul Road) and Paper Mill Road 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays through June 30. Work began April 21.
“Road Watch” appears Sundays. Only messages and mail with phone numbers will be considered. E-mail: jroman@delcotimes.com.