For Oct. 4---Road Watch
The autumn season is when motorists should be wary of wet leaves, sun glare, fog and frost that can make driving hazardous, PennDOT says.
“While it’s not the traffic volumes that come with summer or the snow and ice of winter, the fall season presents motorists with several driving challenges,” said PennDOT Secretary Allen D. Biehler.
Wet leaves on the roadway can be as slippery as ice. They also obscure traffic lines and other pavement markings, making driving difficult in unfamiliar areas. Motorists should use caution and slow down on leaf-covered road surfaces.
Sun glare can be problematic during sunrise and sunset which coincide with morning and evening rush hours in the fall. The intense glare from the sun on the horizon can blind a driver, causing an unexpected traffic slowdown and sudden braking.
Drivers can prepare for the glare by keeping a set of sunglasses handy, removing clutter from their sun visors and keeping the inside of their windshields clean.
Fog and sun glare can present other fall hazards for drivers. When driving in fog, motorists should use low-beam headlights since the high-beam setting creates glare and reduces visibility. Not only will headlights enhance visibility of your vehicle, state law requires headlights to be on when wipers are in use – a fact that many drivers overlook which I often note while driving.
Morning frost and icy spots on the road can also cause problems as overnight temperatures drop toward freezing. Motorists should pay particular attention to bridges, overpasses and shaded areas on roadways where icy spots can form on the pavement.
In addition to using caution while driving, motorists should clear their windows of frost before travel. Morning drivers should also watch carefully for students walking along roadways or waiting for school buses.
For more fall driving tips and other highway safety information, visit www.DriveSafePA.org.
I-95 Bridge Work/Inspections
Lane closures are scheduled 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays on I-95 North/South between the Broad Street and Enterprise interchanges in Philadelphia.
Today through Thursday, 9 p.m.-5 a.m., I-95 North/South will be restricted between Broad Street and Route 420 in Philadelphia, Tinicum and Ridley Township for work to seal pavement joints, repair bridge decks and replace expansion dams.
Also, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays, one lane will be closed on I-95 North/South between Academy Road and Woodhaven Road (Route 63) in Philadelphia for bridge repairs.
Also, today-Friday, 10 p.m.-5 a.m., one lane will be closed on I-95 North/South between Academy Road and Woodhaven Road in Philadelphia for bridge repairs.
Also, 8 p.m.-5 a.m. weeknights, lane restrictions are scheduled on I-95 between Girard and Cottman avenues in Philadelphia for milling and paving. In addition, nighttime lanes restrictions will occur 8 p.m.-5 a.m. on the I-95 ramps to Allegheny and Castor avenues and Bridge Street in Philadelphia for structural repairs.
Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day
On Oct. 10, the Delaware River Port Authority will join state and local police departments in New Jersey for “Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day.” The DRPA will do its part to remind motorists to be more careful while driving.
Variable message signs with the message, “Oct. 10 Be Safe, Be Alert, Drive to Arrive,” will be in place at the Commodore Barry, Ben Franklin, Walt Whitman and Betsy Ross bridges.
Last year in New Jersey, 591 individuals lost their lives in motor vehicle-related crashes, a 19 percent decline from the previous year, and also marks the lowest number of recorded motor vehicle deaths in the state since 1948. If only Pennsylvania can also lay claim to this statistic.
MS 150 Bike Tour
Motorists beware: if you’re headed into New Jersey this weekend, be advised that an estimated 7,000 bicyclists are expected to take part from Saturday to today in the 29th Annual MS Bike Ride to the Shore benefiting the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Riders left early Saturday morning from the parking lot of PATCO’s Woodcrest Station in Cherry Hill and return from Ocean City today.
For the past 20 years, PATCO and the Delaware River Port Authority have hosted the start and finish of the two day ride.
Organizers hope to raise over $5 million this year.
Cyclists ride through the blueberry fields of Hammonton, South Jersey’s Pine Barrens and into Ocean City and back.
Way back when, this columnist participated in this worthwhile charitable event for five years in memory of a late brave neighbor afflicted with the terrible disease. I also remember wheelchair-bound Ruth Greene, the late mother of a friend, who also was an inspiration and bravely endured her affliction without complaining. And to think some healthy people always make it a point to complain about the weather.
Vine Expressway (I-676)
I-676 East/West (Vine Expressway) will be reduced from three lanes to only one between I-76 (Schuylkill Expressway) and I-95 in Philadelphia 8 p.m.-5 a.m. weeknights for pavement marker installation and concrete joint sealing.
Motorists are urged to use an alternate route or face traffic delays from 30 to 45 minutes.
Guide Rail Repairs
Lane and shoulder closures are planned 10 p.m.-5:30 a.m. Tuesday-Thursday for barrier repairs along I-95 North and I-476 South (Blue Route) in Ridley Township.
PennDOT says crews will repair aluminum protective barriers along a highway bridge over Amtrak railroad tracks.
On I-476 South, the left lane will be closed between MacDade Boulevard and I-95.
On I-95 North, the right lane and right shoulder will be closed between I-476 (Exit 7) and Stewart Avenue (Exit 8).
Traffic Delays
Upper Chichester -- Naamans Creek Road (Route 491), utility installation by the Southern Delaware County Sewer Authority, closed/detoured between Meetinghouse and Larkin roads, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. through Nov. 24. Work began Sept. 28. Detour posted.
Edgmont – Valley Road, closed/detoured for repairs/resurfacing between Middletown Road (Route 352) and Brick House Farm Road, through Oct. 21. Work began Sept. 30.
U.S. Route 1 (Baltimore Pike) – Concord and Chester Heights, milling at Stoneybank Road 7 p.m.-5 a.m. Tuesday-Thursday.
Baltimore Pike – Middletown and Upper Providence, milling between Route 352 and State Street 7 p.m.-5 a.m. Tuesday-Thursday.
Baltimore Pike (Route 1) – Middletown, Aqua Pa. utility installation between Black Horse Lane and Valley Road 8 p.m.-6 a.m. weekdays through Nov. 30.
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.
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.
“Road Watch” appears Sundays. Only messages and mail with phone numbers will be considered. E-mail: jroman@delcotimes.com.