ROAD WATCH COL. For March 15
Starting 10 tonight, PennDOT will reduce traffic on I-476 North (the Blue Route) to a single lane near the I-76 (Exit 16/Schuylkill Expressway) interchange to implement a new traffic pattern about 5 a.m. Monday.
The new traffic pattern will consist of two northbound lanes running on the northbound side of the highway and one northbound express lane on the southbound side of the Blue Route.
Concrete barriers will separate the northbound express lane from the three southbound lanes on the southbound side of I-476.
Early Monday morning when crews implement the new traffic pattern, one lane of northbound through traffic will cross over to the southbound side of I-476 and onto the express lane on the southbound Schuylkill River Bridge.
This northbound express lane, which crosses back to rejoin I-476’s two northbound lanes north of the bridge will be utilized for the duration of the northbound bridge reconstruction.
The new pattern is being put into place in Montgomery County as PennDOT begins the first major stage of the $47.4 million project to repair and rehabilitate the 35-year-old twin bridges spanning the Schuylkill River in Plymouth Township and West Conshohocken.
“We are cutting by a year the time to rebuild the I-476 bridges with the use of the express lane pattern,” said PennDOT Sixth District Executive Lester Toaso.
The pattern will allow PennDOT to keep six travel lanes open and accelerate the construction schedule by providing the contractor with a larger area in which to work on the $47 million project. Both bridges are structurally deficient due to the condition of the bridge deck and beams.
This stretch of the Blue Route carries an average daily traffic volume of 135,000 vehicles per day.
PennDOT will rebuild the Blue Route’s northbound bridge this year and the southbound span in 2010. The use of the express lane pattern is scheduled to end in November 2010.
The entire bridge improvement project is scheduled to finish by November 2011.
St. Patrick’s Patrol
Using PennDOT funding, local and state police will conduct DUI checkpoints and patrols at various times and locations throughout Southeast Pennsylvania through St. Patrick’s Day on Tuesday.
Highway/Bridge Work List
PennDOT Secretary Allen Biehler will hold a press conference 1:30 p.m. Monday at the Capitol in Harrisburg to release the final list of highway/bridge projects to be financed by $1 billion made available to Pennsylvania under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
He will release a list of non-stimulus projects to go to contract this year.
Proposed Cell-Phone Ban
State Rep. Josh Shapiro, D-Montgomery, outlined his case for the legislature to pass a hand-held cell phone ban at a Capitol news conference Wednesday. He has been advocating passage of such a ban while driving since 2006.
Last month, he reintroduced his legislation, House Bill 538, with 70 co-sponsors, to ban this dangerous driver distraction. Shapiro, who was joined by a bipartisan group of legislators, introduced Jacy Good, a Lancaster County native and an advocate for the cell phone ban.
In May 2008, Jacy’s parents, Jay and Jean Good, were killed in a car accident caused by a driver using a hand-held cell phone on Route 222 in Berks County. The Goods were returning from Jacy’s graduation ceremony at Muhlenberg College. The accident also left Jacy in a temporary coma.
“I am pushing for the cell phone ban because it is the best way to honor my parents’ memory,” Jacy Good said. “This bill will help prevent my family’s tragedy from being repeated.”
Shapiro cited the hundreds of e-mails and phone calls he has received from citizens all across the state in support of his efforts as evidence that the public wants the legislature to act.
He has received more than double the support from fellow legislators when he first introduced his legislation in 2006.
SCHUYLKILL EXPRESSWAY
Eastbound I-76 (Schuylkill Expressway) will be reduced from two lanes to one at the University Avenue/Grays Ferry Avenue Interchange (Exit 346B) in Philadelphia during overnight hours this week for the replacement of expansion joints on two bridges carrying the expressway over the Schuylkill River, CSX railroad tracks, Gray Ferry Avenue and 34th Street, PennDOT said.
The highway’s eastbound right lane will be closed weekdays 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. the next morning.
Motorists are advised to allow additional time when traveling east on the expressway during overnight construction.
Traffic Delays
Ridley Township – MacDade Boulevard, inlet repairs between Route 420 and Amosland Road 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Tuesday.
U.S. Route 13 (Chester Pike) – Eddystone and Ridley Park, crack sealing between Bullens Lane and Route 420, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Thursday.
Prospect Park – Amosland Road, replacement of CSX railroad crossing, closed/detoured weekdays 9 a.m.-5 p.m. between Urban and Baldwin avenues March 23-27.
Ridley Park – Ridley Avenue, Aqua utility installation, closed/detoured between Constitution Avenue and Cresswell/Tasker streets 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays and through Aug. 28. Work began March 9.
Marple — Media Line Road, Aqua utility installation between Lovell Avenue and Highland Road 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays through May. Work began Jan. 12.
Chester — Flower Street, ramp construction with a new traffic pattern at Fourth and Second streets, 24-hour restriction through 2011. Work began Jan. 12.
Also, Norris Street, ramp construction with lane restrictions at Front Street and Delaware Avenue, 24-hour restriction through 2011. Work began Jan. 12.
U.S. Route 1 North — Middletown, PECO Energy utility installation between Red Roof Road and Pennell Road (Route 452) 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays through April 1. Work began Dec. 22.
“Road Watch” appears Sundays. Only messages and mail with phone numbers will be considered. E-mail: jroman@delcotimes.com.