ROAD WATCH, SEPT. 27(I-76 Message Boards start operating Sept. 30)
Motorists on the Schuylkill Expressway (I-76) will soon know how many minutes it will take to travel between major interchanges on the expressway starting Wednesday as PennDOT begins posting travel times on 13 dynamic message signs in Philadelphia and Montgomery County.
The message signs will display I-76 travel times with eight signs located on I-76; two on the Blue Route (I-476) near the I-76 Interchange; two on Route 1/Roosevelt Extension; and one at the base of the Platt Bridge near 26th Street.
They will operate seven days a week 6 a.m.-10 p.m.
Travel time information will be the default message throughout the day, but it will be replaced by a higher priority message in the event of an incident or emergency, road construction, hazardous weather condition or an AMBER alert.
The signs will display a three-line message to inform motorists of the travel time and distance to a certain interchange. The top line of the message will display the phrase “Avg. Travel Time.” Secondary lines will display the destination, for example, To I-676 EXIT, To U.S. 1 EXIT, To I-95 EXIT, To I-476 EXIT; the distance to the destination in miles and the travel time in minutes.
Minor variations may be used in situations where travel times are posted for a specific area along the main road or along an intersecting roadway or where travel times are displayed to multiple locations.
Fourteen electronic travel time readers along I-76 and four along southbound Route 1/Roosevelt Extension will calculate the travel times between key interchanges. The readers measure the time it takes for a vehicle to travel from one reader to another.
More than 100,000 motorists drive I-76 each day, PennDOT said.
Such information can help motorists to decide whether to stay on I-76 or use an alternate route, said District Executive Lester Toaso. It can also help reduce driver anxiety during times of congestion because motorists won’t have to guess how long it will take to travel from one point of the expressway to another, he said.
PennDOT recently installed travel time readers on I-76 along with closed-circuit television cameras, message signs and incident detectors as part of a $23 million Intelligent Transportation System improvement project.
In November 2008, PennDOT launched a pilot program for posting travel times on message signs in the state, starting on U.S. Routes 202, 100 and 30 in Chester County.
Ben Franklin Bridge
Between 10 a.m. and noon today, about 1,300 people will walk across the Benjamin Franklin Bridge’s south pedestrian walkway to raise money for the Fifth Annual Walk for Hope to Cure Breast Cancer. They will end their walk at Penn’s Landing. The walk benefits the City of Hope Cancer Center.
Vehicular traffic will not be affected during this event. The north walkway will remain closed for construction.
Girard Avenue Ramp to I-95 North
The Girard Avenue ramp to I-95 North and northbound Aramingo Avenue in Philadelphia will close Monday for the start of an $8.8 million project to improve travel through the I-95/Girard Avenue Interchange, PennDOT said.
Over the next 10 months, a detour will direct eastbound Girard Avenue drivers onto Richmond Street, from where they will reach the ramp to I-95 North or access northbound Aramingo Avenue. Workers will build a temporary off-ramp from I-95 South to southbound Aramingo Avenue and realign northbound Aramingo Avenue between Delaware Avenue and York Street.
Route 202 Bridge
Construction will begin 10 p.m. Monday on a 14-month project to replace the 55-year-old bridge carrying U.S. Route 202 over SEPTA-owned railroad tracks just south of the Westtown Road Interchange in West Goshen, Chester County. The $3.7 million project is scheduled to finish in November 2010.
The bridge’s steel beams and concrete deck have deteriorated to the extent that they must be replaced.
Drivers should allow additional time to travel this stretch 10 p.m.-5 a.m. weeknights as one lane will be closed in one or both directions.
Route 491 Closing
Route 491 (Naaman’s Creek Road) between Meetinghouse and Larkin roads in Upper Chichester will be closed starting Monday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays through Nov. 24 for sanitary sewer repairs by the Southern Delaware County Authority.
During construction, Route 491 through traffic will be detoured over Meetinghouse Road, Chichester Avenue, Bethel Road and Larkin Road. Local access will be maintained up to the construction zone. Motorists are advised to allow extra time when traveling through the area.
Traffic Delays
Edgmont – Valley Road, closed/detoured for repairs/resurfacing between Middletown Road (Route 352) and Brick House Farm Road, starting Wednesday, and Oct. 21.
Baltimore Pike (Route 1) – Middletown, Aqua Pa. utility installation between Black Horse Lane and Valley Road 8 p.m.-6 a.m. Wednesday through Nov. 30.
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.
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.

For Sept. 20, Road Watch Col.

Burmont Road Closing
SEPTA construction crews closed Burmont Road starting 7 a.m. Saturday through 5 a.m. Sept. 28 for work on the Media/Sharon Hill trolley lines.
All vehicular/pedestrian traffic will be detoured around Burmont Road between Cheswold and Blanchard Roads in Upper Darby.
A mobile welding factory will begin to join 80-foot-long rails for the new continuously welded steel track which will replace the current rails dating from 1922. These sections may reach 1,800 feet in length before being laid onto rail ties at ground level.
The Route 102 Sharon Hill Line recently began operating buses in place of trolleys and temporary stop locations have been constructed for riders for the next four months between Drexel Hill Junction and Sharon Hill as additional projects are completed.
Motorists are advised to allow extra time when traveling through the area. There will be several posted pedestrian detours.
This work is a component of the federally funded Media/Sharon Hill Improvement Project in Delaware County which extends from 69th Street Terminal through Media and Sharon Hill.
The work will improve the safety and efficiency of the Route 101 Media and Route 102 Sharon Hill trolley lines. Both lines serve about 8,000 and 7,500 daily passengers, respectively.
The improvement project hotline can be accessed at 1-800-808-5025 for additional project information.
For SEPTA service information, call 215-580-7800 or visit www.septa.org.
E-ZPass Lane for Bridges
The Delaware River Port Authority has approved a $350,476 contract to provide design services for an Express E-ZPass lane on the Betsy Ross Bridge, which will also serve as a pilot program for a potential express lane at the Commodore Barry Bridge.
The express lane allows E-ZPass customers to pay the toll without having to slow down through the toll plaza. An express lane is usually located on the left side of the toll plaza.
DRPA hopes to have the express lane operational in 2011.
Betsy Ross Bridge Work
There will be travel restrictions for westbound traffic on the Betsy Ross Bridge until at least Tuesday for emergency repairs of an expansion joint.
Drivers traveling across the bridge into Philadelphia will have two lanes to travel until mid-span of the bridge. Once at mid-span, the bridge will be reduced to one lane for the remainder of the length of the crossing.
Rail Roadeo
SEPTA veterans Michael Sheppard of Collingdale and Adrian Mapp were among the winners in the SEPA Annual Rail Roadeo at the Elmwood Maintenance Facility in Southwest Philadelphia who secured a place at the 2010 International Rail Roadeo competition in Vancouver, Canada.
I-95 Bridge Inspections
Lane closures are scheduled on the northbound I-95/Girard Point Bridge between Enterprise Avenue and Broad Street in Philadelphia Tuesday-Thursday for bridge inspection.
Tuesday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., the left lane on I-95 South/Girard Point Bridge will be closed.
Wednesday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., the right lane on I-95 South/Girard Point Bridge will be closed.
Thursday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., the right lane on I-95 North/Girard Point Bridge will be closed.
I-95/Broad Street Viaduct
Nighttime travel restrictions are scheduled this week on the nearly 3,000-foot-long viaduct that carries I-95 over Broad Street in South Philadelphia, PennDOT said.
The contractor’s upcoming work schedule is coordinated so as not to affect traffic flow into or out of the stadium complex area during events. The viaduct carries 95,000 vehicles a day.
Monday and Tuesday, 8 p.m.-5 a.m. the next morning, I-95 North will be reduced from three lanes to two between the Broad Street Interchange and the Girard Point Bridge.
Wednesday and Friday, 8 p.m.-5 a.m. the next morning, I-95 North/South will be reduced from three lanes to two between the Broad Street Interchange and the Girard Point Bridge.
From 8 p.m. Thursday to 5 a.m. Friday, I-95 North will be reduced from three lanes to two between the Broad Street Interchange and Girard Point Bridge.
The lane closure on I-95 South will start at 10 p.m. and last until 5 a.m. Friday.
Crews will work over the next year to improve the viaduct by repairing structural steel beams and other steel components, repairing and resurfacing the concrete deck; replacing expansion joints; and repairing concrete piers. The viaduct was built in 1973.
I-95 Bridge Repairs
Today-Thursday, 9 p.m.-5 a.m., I-95 North/South will be restricted between Route 420 in Tinicum and Ridley Township and Broad Street in Philadelphia. Crews will work at night to seal pavement joints, repair bridge decks and replace expansion dams.
I-95 Paving
Nighttime lane restrictions on I-95 between Girard and Cottman avenues in Philadelphia are scheduled weeknights 8 p.m.-5 a.m. for milling and paving.
In addition, nighttime lane restrictions are scheduled on the I-95 ramps to Allegheny Avenue, Castor Avenue and Bridge Street during the same hours Monday-Friday for structural repairs.
Vine Expressway
Nighttime travel restrictions are scheduled on I-676 East/West (Vine Expressway) between the Schuylkill Expressway (I-76) and I-95 in Philadelphia 8 p.m.-5 a.m. weeknights for joint sealing of the concrete pavement.
Motorists are advised to use an alternate route or face traffic delays from 30 to 45 minutes.
Schuylkill Expressway
Drivers will encounter overnight lane closures/slowdowns weeknights traveling on the Schuylkill Expressway (I-76) between the I-676 and University/Grays Ferry avenues interchanges in Philadelphia for bridge construction.
Monday-Friday, 8 p.m.-5 a.m. the next morning, I-76 East/West will be reduced to one lane at the University/Grays Ferry avenues interchange.
Monday-Friday, 10 p.m.-5 a.m. the next morning, I-76 West will be reduced to one lane between the Chestnut Street and I-676 Interchange for repairs to the Schuylkill Avenue structure over the expressway.
Traffic Delays
Baltimore Pike (Route 1) – Middletown, Aqua Pa. utility installation between Black Horse Lane and Valley Road 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday-Friday.
Also, utility installation between Black Horse Lane and Valley Road 8 p.m.-6 a.m. Wednesday through Nov. 30.
Tinicum – Second Street, ADA ramp construction between LaGrange and Poulsen avenues 7 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays.
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.
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.

Road Watch for Sept. 13
(National Child Passenger Safety Week, etc.)
Motorists are urged to have their child safety seats inspected for proper use/installation during National Child Passenger Safety Week.
Crash data show that even though a child may be restrained, the appropriate child safety seat must be used properly to ensure effectiveness, PennDOT said.
Since 2004, there have been 97 fatalities and 14,383 injuries to children up to age eight. About 46 percent of those injuries were cases where either a child safety seat was not used or the child was not restrained properly.
To keep children safe, PennDOT provides funding for about 160 child passenger safety seat fitting stations. More than 5,000 seats were checked at these stations last year.
In addition, PennDOT invested about $100,000 from fines for seat belt violations to buy child safety seats for its loaner program, which loans car seats to families in need.
Information on fitting stations and the loaner program is available by calling 1-800-CAR-BELT or visiting www.DriveSafePA.org.
Under the state’s primary child passenger safety law, children under the age of 4 must be properly restrained in an approved child safety seat anywhere in the vehicle.
In addition, children aged 4 up to 8 must be restrained in an appropriate booster seat.
Violating either of these laws can result in a $100 fine plus associated costs.
Once a child outgrows the booster seat, state law requires that children up to age 18 must be secured in a seat belt system anywhere in the vehicle. Violators of this law are subject to a $10 fine plus associated costs.
Rail Work
In Upper Darby and Lansdowne, SEPTA will close Burmont Road between Garrett Road and East Baltimore Avenue in Upper Darby and Lansdowne starting Sept. 19 for rail replacement, PennDOT reported. The 24-hour detour will be in place through September 28.
During the operation, Burmont Road will be detoured over Garrett Road, North Bishop Avenue and East Baltimore Avenue. Local access will be maintained up to the construction zone.
Motorists are advised to allow extra time when traveling through the area. There will be several posted pedestrian detours.
SEPTA will complete the work under a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit.
I-95/Girard Point Bridge
PennDOT has announced the awarding of a $70 million contract for renovations to the I-95/Girard Point Bridge in Philadelphia, a project underwritten by federal stimulus funds.
PennDOT awarded a contract to the tri-venture of Buckley & Co. Inc. of Philadelphia, Alpha Painting & Construction Co. Inc. of Baltimore, Md., and Liberty Maintenance Inc. of Campbell, Ohio, for the rehabilitation and painting of the bridge over the Schuylkill River.
Construction is expected to start in late September to extend the life, aesthetics and ride quality of the 18-span steel truss bridge by performing various structural repairs and maintenance work. The project is scheduled to finish in the fall of 2012.
The contractor will work over the next three years to repair/strengthen structural steel members and paint the entire bridge, among other repairs, to reduce the susceptibility of corrosion from the elements and reduce periodic maintenance.
Schuylkill Expressway
Motorists will face overnight lane closures/slowdowns this week traveling on the Schuylkill Expressway (I-76) between I-676 and the University Avenue/Grays Ferry Avenue interchanges in Philadelphia for bridge construction.
Monday-Thursday from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., I-76 East/West will be reduced to one lane at the interchanges for bridge construction.
Monday-Friday, 10 p.m.-5 a.m., I-76 West will be reduced to one lane between Chestnut Street and the I-676 Interchanges for repairs to the Schuylkill Avenue structure over the expressway.
Traffic Delays
I-95 North/South – Tinicum and Ridley Township, bridge repairs today through Thursday between Broad Street and Route 420, 9 p.m.-5 a.m.
Tinicum – Route 291, ADA ramp construction between First and Fifth avenues 7 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays.
Also, Wanamaker Avenue, ADA ramp construction between Third and Fourth streets, 7 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays.
Also, Second Street, ADA ramp construction at LaGrange Avenue 7 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays.
Thornbury – U.S. Route 202, PECO Energy Co. utility installation between Dilworthtown and Oakland roads 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays.
Haverford – Haverford Road, Aqua utility installation at West Hathaway Lane 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Wednesday.
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.
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.