For July 26….ROAD WATCH…
For the second consecutive month, Pennsylvanians drove slightly less compared to the same period last year, while Americans nationwide drove about the same number of miles, according to recent federal data cited by AAA.
In May, Pennsylvanians drove 107 million fewer miles, a decrease of 1.2 percent compared to May 2008. Eighteen other states also posted decreases in vehicle miles traveled or VMT in May.
Nationwide, Americans drove more, posting a minimal increase of 0.1 percent or 176 million more vehicle miles traveled. This is the second consecutive increase in national vehicle miles traveled. Before the increase of 0.5 percent reported in April, the Federal Highway Administration hadn’t reported a rise in VMT since October 2007.
Due to data collection and analysis, federal highway data generally is released on a two-month delay.
“Gas prices rose about 40 cents a gallon during the month of May and the increase may have dampened driving,” said AAA Mid-Atlantic spokeswoman Catherine Rossi. “More likely it was the overall economy.
“Motorists are holding back on travel as they struggle with economic pressures,” she said.
VINE EXPRESSWAY
Construction starts 9 p.m. Monday on a 4 1/2-month-long, $3.6 million project to improve the Vine Expressway (I-676) between 18th Street and I-95 by replacing 77 sections of deteriorated concrete pavement.
During construction, I-676 will be reduced to one lane in each direction Mondays-Fridays from 8 p.m. or 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. the next morning.
In addition, I-676 will be closed completely in one direction on four or five nights in August 11 p.m.-5 a.m. Detours will be posted when one side of the expressway is closed.
Construction is scheduled to finish in mid-December.
Motorists are urged to use an alternate route or allow at least 30 extra minutes for travel on I-676 when lane closures are in place for construction.
“Motorists need to stay informed of the work taking place on I-676 so they can make smart decisions when traveling to or through Center City Philadelphia during this project,”said PennDOT District Executive Lester C. Toaso.
For the first time in Pennsylvania, PennDOT will use precast steel reinforced concrete slabs to replace cracked and worn sections of concrete pavement on I-676 in order to minimize traffic impacts normally associated with concrete pavement replacements.
The precast slabs allow PennDOT to remove and replace sections of concrete pavement and put traffic on it in nine hours compared to conventional construction and a curing process that last 19 hours, Toaso said.
“If we went the conventional route, we would have had to restrict I-676 travel lanes on weekends and the project would not have been completed until 2010,” he said.
Starting Monday, crews will begin saw cutting damaged sections of I-676 East/West, working each night 9 p.m.-5 a.m.l
Beginning Aug. 3 at 8 p.m., workers will begin to remove/replace sections of concrete pavement on I-676 East starting at 18th Street.
Work is expected to begin the week of Aug. 10 to replace damaged concrete on I-676 West.
Complete closures of I-676 West are expected to occur two nights in mid-August near the 15th Street exit.
RUMBLE STRIPS
Rumble strips will be installed 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays on sections of Routes 1, 3, 13, 322, 452 and 491 in Delaware County, PennDOT said.
The work is part of $1.9 million project to provide safety improvements on many state highways in southeast Pennsylvania. The project includes reflective pavement markers, safety rumble strips, new and upgraded traffic signals and guide rails at various locations in the five-county region.
NEWTOWN SIGNALS
A $129,291 contract has been awarded by PennDOT for a municipal traffic signal improvement project in Newtown, Delaware County, and Easttown Township, Chester County, financed with federal funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Construction will start in late September and finish in December.
PennDOT awarded Kuharchik Construction of Exeter, Pa., the contract to install a traffic signal at the intersection of Route 252 (Darby-Paoli Road) and White Horse Road to enhance traffic flow and safety at the intersection.
About 20,000 vehicles a day travel on Route 252 through the intersection. The presence of a traffic signal also will allow White Horse Road motorists to turn safely onto Route 252. Presently, the intersection operates with a stop sign on White Horse Road. Newtown funded the engineering design phase of this improvement project.
Traffic Delays
Line painting – Bethel, Chadds Ford, Concord, Radnor, Haverford, Tinicum and Upper Darby, slow moving operation to paint lines on state highways, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. weekdays.
I-95 North/South – Upper and Lower Chichester, Upland, Ridley Township and Tinicum, raised pavement marker installation between the county line and Girard Point Bridge 10 p.m.--5 a.m. weekdays through Tuesday.
Concord – Concord Road, Transcontinental Gas Pipeline inspection, closed/detoured between Foulk Road and East Rivera Drive, 24-hour detour posted, through July 30. Work begins Monday.
Upper Chichester – Naamans Creek Road, Southern Delaware County Authority utility installation, closed/detoured between Larkin and Meetinghouse roads 9 a.m.-3 p.m., detour posted starting Monday and through Sept. 6.
Baltimore Avenue – Lansdowne, East Lansdowne, Upper Darby, Aqua Pennsylvania utility installation, closed/detoured between Church Lane and Lansdowne Avenue, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., detour posted weekdays through Nov. 30.
Bethel – Pyle Road, Bethel Township Sewer Authority utility installation between county line and Trotters Lea Lane 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday-July 28.
Also, Naamans Creek Road, utility installation between Ashbrook and Foulk roads 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays through Aug. 21. Work began June 4.
Also, Naamans Creek Road, utility installation between Marian Drive and Foulk Road 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays through July 31.
Also, Garnet Mine Road, Bethel Sewer Authority utility installation between Naamans Creek and Kirk roads 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays through July 31.
Also, Foulk Road, utility installation between Naamans Creek and Zebley roads 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays through July 31.
Springfield – Sproul Road (Route 320), road reconstruction/widening between Baltimore Pike and Route 420, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays through Aug. 14. Work began July 6.
Holmes Road/Amosland Road – Ridley Township, Prospect Park and Norwood, Aqua utility installation between MacDade Boulevard and Chester Pike 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays through Oct. 2, detour posted.
Tinicum – Second Street, Aqua Pa. utility installation between Erickson and Putcan avenues 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays through Aug. 31. Work began June 1.
Springfield – Baltimore Pike, AT&T conduit installation, with lane restrictions between Norwinden Drive and Sproul Road 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays through July 30. Work began June 10.
Middletown and Media – Baltimore Pike, AT&T conduit installation with lane restrictions between Routes 452 and 352, 7 p.m.-6 a.m. weeknights through Aug. 28. Work began April 20.
West Baltimore Avenue – Upper Darby and Lansdowne, AT&T conduit installation, one lane closed between Church Lane and Lansdowne Avenue, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays and 6 p.m.-6 a.m. weeknights through July 30. Work began May 18.
Haverford – Coopertown Road, Aqua installation, closed/detoured between College Avenue and Darby Road 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays through Aug. 28. Work began April 20.
Also, College Avenue closed/detoured 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays between Coopertown Road and Spring Mill Lane through Aug. 28. Work began April 20.
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.
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.
“Road Watch” appears Sundays. Only messages and mail with phone numbers will be considered. E-mail: jroman@delcotimes.com.