Road Watch

Single-Vehicle Crashes Equal Majority of Traffic Deaths

noreply@blogger.com (John Roman) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:35:00 +0000

For Nov. 15----Road Watch
Single-vehicle crashes were the cause of nearly 60 percent of traffic deaths on Pennsylvania roads in 2008, a recent analysis of federal data by AAA Mid-Atlantic shows.
That’s a 1 percent increase over the previous year. However, overall fatalities decreased by 1.5 percent in 2008.
In 2008, 845 of the 1,468 road deaths in the state were as a result of a single-vehicle crash, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported. The 2008 data shows the percentage of single-vehicle crashes in the state is the same as it was in 2006.
“A high percentage of traffic deaths from single-vehicle crashes in Pennsylvania is troubling,” says AAA Mid-Atlantic spokeswoman Catherine Rossi. “While the circumstances of each crash are different, we know drivers’ actions play a significant role.”
Drivers can lower their risk of a crash by avoiding distractions, not speeding and paying attention to road conditions, she said.
Most drivers consider single-vehicle crashes “freak accidents,” but in fact such crashes involved numerous contributing factors that motorists can control.
Distracted driving is chief among them. It increases the risks of single-vehicle and rear-end crashes, research shows.
Federal government studies show that 80 percent of crashes involve some form of driver inattention.
Pennsylvania’s percentage of single-vehicle crashes is six points higher than the most recent national average for single-vehicle crash road deaths, which was nearly 52 percent in 2007.
Pennsylvania’s single-vehicle crash deaths as a percentage of the total vehicle fatalities was as follows: 2008, 58 percent; 2007, 57 percent; 2006, 58 percent; 2005, 55 percent; 2004, 54 percent.
In Delaware last year, single-vehicle crash deaths accounted for 56 percent, 68 out of 121.
In New Jersey last year, these deaths accounted for 63 percent, 371 of 590.
Buckle Up
Nearly 88 percent of motorists on state roads are making the often life-saving decision to obey the law and buckle up, PennDOT said.
The 2009 seat belt use rate for Pennsylvania reached a record of 87.9 percent, an increase from the previous high of 86.7 percent reported in 2007.
Stronger traffic safety enforcement is one contributing factor to the rising seat belt usage rate.
About 450 municipal police departments and state police participate in national and statewide Click It or Ticket campaigns. More than 10,000 seat belt citations were issued by these departments in the last year.
PennDOT invested nearly $2.5 million of federal funding for this enforcement.
Another possible reason for the improvement is broader seat belt education aimed at students in kindergarten through grade 12. Law enforcement officers presented more than 850 programs reaching 47,000 students.
In conjunction with the programs, police increased the number of patrols around schools to encourage young drivers and their passengers to buckle up.
PennDOT reminds motorists that under state law, all front-seat passengers are required to buckle up. Failure to comply with the seat belt law can result in a penalty of $60, including the fine and other costs.
Children aged 4 to 8 must be restrained in an appropriate booster seat when riding anywhere in a motor vehicle. Also, children aged 8 to 18 must be in a seat belt when riding anywhere in the vehicle. Both of these laws are secondary – which means that drivers can be ticketed only when cited for another traffic violation such as speeding.
The state’s primary child passenger safety law requires children under the age of four to be properly restrained in an approved child safety seat anywhere in the vehicle. The fine for non-use of child safety and booster seats is a maximum of $100 in addition to other costs.
Hog Island Road Lighting
PECO Energy Co. has completed the first phase of a multi-year project to replace one-quarter of the street lights along Hog Island Road in Tinicum. The loop located east of Route 291 serves Philadelphia International Airport, the U.S. Postal Service Center, the Army National Guard post and several industrial customers.
About 20 street lights are being replaced each year.
Groundwater and moisture has caused damage to underground electric lines in the area and above-ground electric lines were not desirable in the area due to air traffic. The Hog Island area is made up mostly of marshes and meadows.
PECO recently completed about one mile of the underground work, using a combination of its electric and gas crews for the job. Another stretch will be replaced next year.
PECO and local officials discussed the project in recent months with particular concern for public safety, especially with local traffic. PECO said the conditions of the local area altered its typical engineering approach to the facility upgrades.
The new underground conduit will ensure electric lines are not affected by the constant exposure to moisture. Underground facilities tend to be less vulnerable to most weather conditions, such as wind and lightning, and other factors, including vehicle accidents.
However, when outages occur, it tends to take longer to identify and repair problems and is much more costly, PECO said.
Traffic Delays
Upland – Brookhaven Road, ADA ramp construction with lane restrictions between Trimble Boulevard and Bridgewater Road 7 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays.
Tinicum and Chester – Fourth Avenue, ADA ramp construction between Second Street and Governor Printz Boulevard 7 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays.
Also, Second Street, ADA ramp construction at Madison Street in Chester, 7 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays.
Chester – Kerlin Street, ADA ramp construction between 10th and 14th streets, 7 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays.
Baltimore Pike (Route 1) – Middletown and Chester Heights, bridge replacement between Darlington Road and Station Road, 24-hour restrictions through June 2011. Work began Oct. 12. Cost is $4.27 million; contractor is J.D. Eckman Inc.
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.
Naamans Creek Road – Chadds Ford, utility installation between U.S. Route 202 and I-95, 9 a.m.-3 p.m weekdays through Nov. 13. Work began Oct. 12.
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.

Work Starts on Blue Route Prep Work

noreply@blogger.com (John Roman) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:12:00 +0000

For Nov. 1 --Road Watch Col.
Motorists traveling on the Blue Route (I-476) in Montgomery County will encounter nighttime lane restrictions this week starting tonight for continuing construction to prepare 3.2 miles of the highway for reconstruction next year, PennDOT said.
Northbound and southbound lane closures on I-476 will be in place tonight through Thursday from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. from just south of the Schuylkill Expressway (I-76), Exit 16 Interchange, in West Conshohocken to the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s Mid-County Interchange in Plymouth Township.
Tonight through Thursday, the left lane will be closed on I-476 North/South.
Tonight through Thursday, the two left lanes on I-476 North will be closed 11 p.m.-5 a.m.
PennDOT said the lane closures will be in place to allow crews to rebuild the highway’s shoulders and construct cross-over lanes in the grass median in preparation for implementing a traffic pattern shift early next year when reconstruction of the southbound side of I-476 begins.
The work is the initial stage of a $71.7 million project to replace the Blue Route’s deteriorated concrete pavement, rehabilitate six dual mainline bridges and one overhead structure, rebuild and widen the highway’s shoulders, improve storm water drainage, remediate an area prone to sinkholes and install 17 new sign structures.
Crews will work through late 2011 to rebuild this portion of I-476 that was built in the 1970s.
Daylight Saving Time Ends
Daylight Saving Time in most of the United States ends at 2 a.m., local time, today, the first day of November so make sure you set your clocks back one hour. With the darkness falling on local roadways much earlier, it’s important that motorists adjust their driving accordingly, especially with the glare of the setting sun and the need to be aware of pedestrians, especially children, crossing hazardous intersections.
Contrary to popular belief, no federal rule mandates that U.S. states or territories observe daylight saving time, according to National Geographic.
Most U.S. residents set their clocks one hour forward in spring and one hour back in fall. But people in Hawaii and most of Arizon along with the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Virgin Islands—will do nothing. Those locales never deviate from standard time within their particular time zones.
The federal law first passed in 1918 and, thanks to a 2005 revision that went into practice in 2007, now stipulates areas that observe daylight saving time must switch back to standard time at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday in November.
The new Daylight Saving Time rule requires that regions that observe daylight saving time begin at the same time on the second Sunday in March.
Brookhaven Signals
Construction will begin Monday on a $203,158 municipal project to improve traffic signals in Brookhaven. The work will be done 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays.
The project is financed with federal funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
BULLET Monday – lane restrictions are scheduled at the intersection of Bridgewater and West Brookhaven roads.
BULLET Tuesday – lane restrictions are scheduled at the intersection of Edgmont Avenue (Route 352) and Duttons Mill Road.
BULLET Wednesday –lane restrictions are scheduled at the intersection of Route 352 and Coebourn Boulevard.
BULLET Thursday – lane restrictions are scheduled at the intersection of Route 352 and Brookhaven Road.
BULLET Friday – lane restrictions are scheduled at the intersection of Route 352 and Trimble Boulevard.
Crews will improve traffic signals and pedestrian signals and signs in the borough.
Under the borough-designed project, workers will replace incandescent bulbs with light-emitting diode (LED) modules to enhance the visibility of the signals, plus provide a longer service life and use less energy than the incandescent bulbs.
New pedestrian countdown timers and push button controls will also be installed to enhance pedestrian safety.
The borough funded the engineering design phase of the improvement project.
Hog Island Road Lighting
PECO Energy Co. has completed the first phase of a multi-year project to replace one-quarter of the street lights along Hog Island Road in Tinicum. The loop located east of Route 291 serves Philadelphia International Airport, the U.S. Postal Service Center, the Army National Guard post and several industrial customers.
About 20 street lights are being replaced each year.
Groundwater and moisture has caused damage to underground electric lines in the area and above-ground electric lines were not desirable in the area due to air traffic. The Hog Island area is made up mostly of marshes and meadows.
PECO recently completed about one mile of the underground work, using a combination of its electric and gas crews for the job. Another stretch will be replaced next year.
PECO and local officials discussed the project in recent months with particular concern for public safety, especially with local traffic. PECO said the conditions of the local area altered its typical engineering approach to the facility upgrades.
The new underground conduit will ensure electric lines are not affected by the constant exposure to moisture. Underground facilities tend to be less vulnerable to most weather conditions, such as wind and lightning, and other factors, including vehicle accidents.
However, when outages occur, it tends to take longer to identify and repair problems and is much more costly, PECO said.
Route 202 North Bridge
Gov. Ed Rendell Saturday morning joined local officials in opening the new $8.4 million DeKalb Street (Route 202 North) Bridge in Bridgeport Borough, Montgomery County, which spans the Norfolk Southern railroad tracks.
Traffic Delays
Upland – Brookhaven Road, ADA ramp construction with lane restrictions between Trimble Boulevard and Bridgewater Road 7 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays.
Tinicum and Chester – Fourth Avenue, ADA ramp construction between Second Street and Governor Printz Boulevard 7 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays.
Also, Second Street, ADA ramp construction at Madison Street in Chester, 7 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays.
Chester – Kerlin Street, ADA ramp construction between 10th and 14th streets, 7 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays.
Middletown – U.S. Route 1 South, overhead line work between Elwyn Road and Valleybrook Road 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays through Friday.
Also, Lungren Road, SEPTA utility installation between Lenni Road and Parkmount Road 7 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays through Friday.
Norwood – Chester Pike, PECO Energy installation between Ridley and Garfield avenues 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays through Wednesday.
Baltimore Pike (Route 1) – Middletown and Chester Heights, bridge replacement between Darlington Road and Station Road, 24-hour restrictions through June 2011. Work began Oct. 12. Cost is $4.27 million; contractor is J.D. Eckman Inc.
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.
Naamans Creek Road – Chadds Ford, utility installation between U.S. Route 202 and I-95, 9 a.m.-3 p.m weekdays through Nov. 13. Work began Oct. 12.
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.

noreply@blogger.com (John Roman) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:10:00 +0000

Motorists Driving Less

noreply@blogger.com (John Roman) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:45:00 +0000

Road Watch Col. –for Oct. 25
(PA. Driving Falls During August)
Pennsylvanians drove 3.1 percent less during August compared to the same period last year, according to the latest federal vehicle-miles-traveled report. Nationally, driving was essentially flat.
Pennsylvanians drove about the same number of miles during June and July 2009 as they did during the same months in 2008. However, driving fell sharply in August compared to the same month last year. Overall, summer driving in the state was virtually flat compared to 2008.
In August, Pennsylvanians drove 307 million fewer miles, a decrease of 3.1 percent compared to August 2008. Pennsylvania is one of 11 states that posted decreases in August, according to recent Federal Highway Administration data.
Due to collection and analysis, federal highway data generally is released on a two-month delay.
Nationwide, Americans drove about the same, 0.7 percent more or 1.9 billion more vehicle miles than in August 2008. Cumulative travel for this year is the same compared to the same period last year.
“Throughout the summer, Pennsylvanians were conservative in their driving,” said AAA Mid-Atlantic spokeswoman Catherine Rossi.
“August is usually a heavily traveled month as families try to squeeze in vacations, but Pennsylvanians held back on travel,” she said.
The least traveled month was January, with a 4.5 percent decrease compared to the same month last year.
Traffic Delays
Baltimore Pike – Middletown and Upper Providence, paving between Route 352 and State Street, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.-5 a.m. weekdays.
Blue Route (I-476) North/South – Springfield, Nether Providence, Upper Providence, Marple, Haverford and Radnor, survey work with right shoulder closure between I-95 and Lancaster Avenue (Route 30) 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Wednesday.
Brookhaven – Brookhaven Road, ADA ramp construction with restrictions between south Gray Street and Barlow Avenue 7 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays.
Upland – Brookhaven Road, ADA ramp construction with lane restrictions between Trimble Boulevard and Bridgewater Road 7 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays.
Tinicum and Chester – Fourth Avenue, ADA ramp construction between Second Street and Governor Printz Boulevard 7 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays.
Also, Second Street, ADA ramp construction at Madison Street in Chester, 7 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays.
Chester – Kerlin Street, ADA ramp construction between 10th and 14th streets, 7 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays.
Chester – Commodore Barry Bridge East, bridge work, right lane closed on bridge 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays, 24-hour restriction.
Also, westbound right lane closed on bridge weekdays.
Chester – Second Street, bridge work with intermittent traffic stoppages between Reaney and Flower streets 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m. weekdays.
Chester – Third Street, bridge work, intermittent traffic stoppages between Reaney and Flower streets 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m. weekdays.
Barry Bridge – Chester, ramp construction with stoppages in both directions on bridge 12:01-5 a.m Friday.
Aston – Concord Road, curb installation between Lehr Boulevard and Village Drive 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday.
I-95 South – trenching with right shoulder closed between Naamans Creek Road and Chichester Avenue 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday.
Middletown – U.S. Route 1 South, overhead line work between Elwyn Road and Valleybrook Road 9 a.m.-3 p.m. starting Wednesday and through Nov. 6.
Also, Lungren Road, SEPTA utility installation between Lenni Road and Parkmount Road 7 a.m.-4 p.m. starting Thursday and through Nov. 6.
Norwood – Chester Pike, PECO Energy installation between Ridley and Garfield avenues 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays through Nov. 4. Work began Oct. 21.
Baltimore Pike (Route 1) – Middletown and Chester Heights, bridge replacement between Darlington Road and Station Road, 24-hour restrictions through June 2011. Work began Oct. 12. Cost is $4.27 million; contractor is J.D. Eckman Inc.
Upper Darby – Garrett Road, PECO installation between Wembly and Bayard roads 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays.
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.
Naamans Creek Road – Chadds Ford, utility installation between U.S. Route 202 and I-95, 9 a.m.-3 p.m weekdays through Nov. 13. Work began Oct. 12.
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.

Beware of Deer on Roads

noreply@blogger.com (John Roman) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:14:00 +0000

For October 18, ROAD WATCH…
Deer movement increases during the fall breeding season so motorists should drive defensively and stay alert, especially at dawn and dusk to reduce the risk of striking a deer, PennDOT warns.
Last year, there were 2,797 crashes involving deer in the state, resulting in 11 deaths and 636 injuries, compared to 2,487 crashes, eight fatalities and 598 injuries in 2007.
“Motorists also need to be aware of hunters and others walking along roadways on their way into or out of the woods,” said PennDOT Secretary Allen Biehler.
Deer pay less attention and become bolder as they move around more and travel greater distances during their breeding season. Primarily nocturnal feeders, deer are most active between sunset and sunrise.
Over the past five years, PennDOT statistics show nearly 46 percent of all reportable crashes involving a deer occurred in the months of October and November.
More than 78 percent of the total crashes the past five years involving deer occurred between 5 p.m. and 6 a.m.
By following a few safety tips, motorists and outdoor enthusiasts can help reduce the possibility of being involved in a crash with a deer.
BULLET Be on the alert for individuals entering the woods early in the morning and leaving in the late evening hours.
BULLET Make young drivers aware of increased deer movement.
BULLET Slow down and use caution, especially where deer crossing signs are posted and increase following distance between vehicles.
BULLET Exercise caution when one deer crosses a roadway. Since deer often travel in small herds, one deer will usually be followed by others.
BULLET Always wear your seat belt and never drink and drive.
BULLET Turn on your headlights if your windshield wipers are on – it’s the law.
If a dead deer presents an obvious safety hazard on state roadways, motorists can call 1-800-FIX-ROAD to have the deer removed.
PennDOT also reminds motorists they can visit 511pa.com or call 511 from any phone to check traffic conditions before heading out.
For fall driving tips and other highway safety information, visit www.DriveSafePA.org.
Barry Bridge Work
Traffic restrictions are scheduled this week on the Commodore Barry Bridge and the I-95 ramps to the bridge in Chester, including the Ninth Street ramp to the bridge, for construction. The work is part of PennDOT’s $71.1 million project to construct two new ramps off the bridge to provide direct access between I-95 and Route 291 (Second Street).
Construction is scheduled to finish in 2011.
Monday-Friday, the right lane will be closed on the eastbound Barry Bridge 9 a.m.-3 p.m. for bridge railing and lighting removal.
Monday-Tuesday, there will be intermittent traffic stoppages on the Flower Street ramp between Fourth Street and Sixth Street 11 p.m.-7 a.m. for bridge beam erection.
Wednesday-Friday, 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m., there will be intermittent traffic stoppages on Third Street between Reaney Street and Flower Street for beam erection.
Wednesday-Friday, 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m., there will be intermittent traffic stoppages on Fourth Street between Reaney and Flower streets for beam erection.
Friday, 12:01-5 a.m., there will be intermittent traffic stoppages on eastbound and westbound Commodore Barry Bridge for beam erection.
Crews are building a new ramp off the approach to the bridge to enable I-95 motorists to exit onto Route 291. A second ramp being built will allow Route 291 drivers to reach I-95.
Brookhaven ADA Ramps
Construction will begin Monday on a $190,000 project to replace 42 ADA curb ramps in Brookhaven funded with a federal stimulus grant.
Crews will work on Brookhaven Road at South Gray Street 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Motorists are advised to allow extra time when traveling through the area.
Curb ramps will be replaced at the following intersections with Brookhaven Road: North Gray Street, Chandler Drive, Mount Vernon Avenue, Burk Avenue, Barlow Avenue; and Trimble Boulevard at Bridgewater Road.
SEPTA Hybrids
On Monday, SEPTA will announce the future delivery of 40 more hybrid buses manufactured by New Flyer of America purchased with a $17.8 million federal stimulus grant.
With this addition to the present fleet of 252 hybrid buses on the road, by 2010 SEPTA will have a total of 372 hybrid buses.
SEPTA spokesman Andrew Busch said the authority has a four-year contract with New Flyer to buy 100 hybrid buses per year and also has the option to get an additional 20 vehicles during any one of those years.
“For 2009 and 2010, were are picking up the option…” he said.
The green fleet will enhance transportation while providing cleaner air to the region.
By this time next year, about 25 percent of SEPTA’s fleet will be hybrids, Busch said.
PATCO Drill
PATCO is staging an emergency drill 9-11 a.m. today at its shop and railyard in Lindenwold, N.J. The drill will simulate an intruder attempting to gain access to the PATCO equipment shop. All the activity will be related to the drill so PATCO passengers should have no cause for concern.
SEPTA Drill
SEPTA will conduct a full-scale railroad emergency simulation drill 9 a.m. today near the Jenkintown Train Station to test its Passenger Train Emergency Preparedness Plan. There will be about two dozen mock victims in the exercise at the northbound layoff siding off West Avenue near the R3 station.
The scenario for the drill replicates what might occur when a severe storm, a stranded passenger train, a diesel fueled work train and an out of control auto collide.
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.
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.

Fall Driving Safety Tips

noreply@blogger.com (John Roman) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:54:00 +0000

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.

Get the Message, Drivers, on I-76

noreply@blogger.com (John Roman) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:46:00 +0000

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.

Trolley Work Detours Burmont Road

noreply@blogger.com (John Roman) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:23:00 +0000

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.

Precious Cargo

noreply@blogger.com (John Roman) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:25:00 +0000

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.

Distracted Driving Needs Pols' Attention

noreply@blogger.com (John Roman) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 15:01:00 +0000

Road WATCH FOR Aug. 23….
(Crash outside Hospital Raises Readers’ Ire)
As of Friday, Upper Darby Police Superintendent said no charges had been filed against a 20-year-old Havertown woman who killed one college student and seriously injured another outside Delaware County Memorial Hospital after losing control of her car and running up on the sidewalk a week ago.
The tragic incident raised the ire of over 20 readers after reading that the driver lost control of her car while she was trying to retrieve her iPod. Rachael Jankins, 20, of the 200 block of Hastings Avenue, Haverford, was driving south on Lansdowne Avenue when she suddenly crossed over two northbound lanes and mowed down the two victims from behind.
Killed was Nicole Gallo, 19, of the 300 block of West Park Lane, Upper Darby, a soon-to-be sophomore at Lebanon Valley College. Injured seriously was Christine Bochanski, 20, of the 100 block of Berkley Avenue, Lansdowne, Nicole’s best girlfriend and a fellow 2008 Archbishop Prendergast High School grad.
Bochanski is enrolled as a sophomore at Villanova University. Both girls had participated in numerous activities at their high school.
Most readers expressed their shock at the accident about 11:13 a.m. Aug. 14 on busy Lansdowne Avenue near the main entrance of the hospital and offered their sympathies to the families of both young women.
They also hammered away at the need for tougher motor vehicle laws banning the use of handheld cell phones, texting and other electronic devices while operating a motor vehicle.
I’ve been a longtime advocate of a state law against handheld cell phones and texting while driving, but, of course, such requests have fallen on the deaf ears of our Harrisburg honchos for the most part.
To those passive and politically correct observers who don’t want to be judgmental or criticize our readers for voicing their opinions against such stupid distractions, I have two words: WHAT IF?
WHAT IF the sidewalk the two victims were walking on before they were struck from behind was also crowded with young concert-goers to the nearby Upper Darby Performing Arts Center?
WHAT IF a mother was pushing her child in a stroller after visiting the hospital?
The loss of one life in such a senseless incident is one too much, but it’s a miracle that more lives weren’t lost on a busy Friday around lunchtime outside a major hospital.
A driver’s first priority should be keeping your eyes on the road and traffic conditions – and keeping your vehicle under control.
If you drop your cell phone, iPod or whatever electronic device, it can be retrieved when you come to a full stop at a red light and put the car in park, or by eventually pulling over in a parking space. It’s not the end of the world.
You shouldn’t be performing contortions trying to stretch over to the passenger seat floor or under the seat while steering your vehicle at the same time.
Is trying to recover an iPod, cell phone or whatever worth the life of a young woman with a bright future ahead of her and crippling another young lady who were on routine business at a hospital?
Harrsiburg, open up your ears to the tragic results of distracted driving.
SEPTA Drill
SEPTA will conduct an emergency simulation drill 9 a.m. today at the entrance to the Green Line tunnel near 36th and Market streets in Philadelphia. It will be a simulated trolley crash to test its readiness to respond. About 30 students from Thomas Jefferson University Hospital will participate in the drill, along with SEPTA and city emergency personnel.
As a result, there will be temporary service suspensions on trolley routes between 6 a.m. and noon today. Riders can use the Market-Frankford Line to 40th Street Station for connections to and from these lines.
Service in the tunnel at the 36th Street tunnel for trolley routes 10, 11, 13, 34 and 36 will also be diverted from 10 tonight through 5 a.m. Monday to 40th and Market streets for routine maintenance.
Customers can continue to travel to Center City by using the Market-Frankford Line Night Owl bus service at 40th Street.
Pre-Labor Day Crackdown
Motorists will see an increased police presence on the highways starting this weekend as more than 600 municipal police departments and state police will be joining in a national crackdown on impaired driving through the Labor Day weekend.
A key focus of the crackdown will be underage drinking and driving as college students prepare to return to campuses and high school football season gets under way. Awareness events will be held at several high schools during the next two weeks.
There were more than 1,400 alcohol-related crashes involving drivers aged 16-20 across the state last year. Those crashes resulted in 45 fatalities.
Police made more than 9,100 DUI drug arrests in 2008.
Traffic Delays
Upper Darby – Victory Avenue/Cardington Road, bridge repairs between West Chester Pike and Lansdowne Avenue, 24-hour detour, beginning Tuesday and lasting through Sept. 8.
I-476 North/South (Blue Route) – herbicide application along several municipalities with intermittent lane restrictions between U.S. Route 1/Media Bypass and I-95, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday.
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 through Sept. 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

Blue Route Traffic Pattern Change

noreply@blogger.com (John Roman) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 14:40:00 +0000

Road Watch, Aug. 9, JMR
(BLUE ROUTE traffic pattern change)
I-476 North (the Blue Route) will be reduced to one lane at the bridge over the Schuylkill River in Plymouth Township and West Conshohocken, Montgomery County, 10 tonight to 5 a.m. Monday to perform a traffic pattern change.
Motorists driving north on I-476 during this operation should allow additional time for travel while crews paint new traffic lines and move barriers to shift two lanes of I-476 North traffic to the far left side of the northbound bridge, freeing the right half of the bridge for reconstruction.
The single lane of I-476 North traffic to remain open during this overnight operation will be the northbound express lane, which crosses over to the southbound side of I-476 just north of the I-76 Interchange and crosses back to rejoin the Blue Route’s two northbound lanes north of the bridge, PennDOT reports.
The next night from 10 p.m. Monday to 5 a.m. Tuesday, I-476 North will be reduced from three lanes to two lanes approaching the bridge for construction.
The right lane will be closed on the northbound span.
The traffic pattern change is part of PennDOT’s $47.4 million project to repair/rehabilitate the 35-year-old twin bridges that carry I-476 over the Schuylkill River.
PennDOT is rebuilding I-476’s northbound structure this year.
The southbound bridge will be rebuilt in 2010. PennDOT began construction in March.
BARRY BRIDGE
Wednesday and Friday, traffic restrictions are scheduled on the I-95 ramps to the Commodore Barry Bridge in Chester, including the Ninth Street ramp to the bridge, for bridge construction.
There will be intermittent traffic stoppages on the I-95 North/South ramps to the bridge 12:01-5 a.m. Wednesday and Friday.
Also, there will be intermittent traffic stoppages on the bridge during the same periods.
Also, there will intermittent traffic stoppages on the Ninth Street ramp to the bridge during the same time.
U.S. ROUTE 202
Construction is expected to start in October on a $42 million project to build the northern section of the 8.6-mile-long Route 202 Parkway between Route 63 (Welsh Road) and Route 611 in Montgomery and Bucks counties, PennDOT said.
James D. Morrissey Inc. of Philadelphia submitted the apparent lowest bid to build 3.4 miles of the parkway between Pickertown Road and Route 611 in Warrington and Doylestown, Bucks County. The bid still must undergo a thorough evaluation for conformity to state specifications.
PennDOT District Executive Lester C. Toaso said the project is expected to bring relief to the congestion motorists face daily traveling between Montgomeryville and Doylestown.
NEW NEWSLETTER
PennDOT now has a new electronic newsletter, E-PennDOT Digest, so the public can learn more about PennDOT’s diverse programs and services.
“This newsletter will help the public to understand that PennDOT’s scope is much broader than the yellow trucks you see on the roads,” said PennDOT Secretary Allen Biehler.
“While maintaining highways and bridges is a major component of our work, we also have many other programs that are vital to Pennsylvanians,” he said.
The electronic digest is a quarterly online newsletter that provides updates on key initiatives, such as the Accelerated Bridge Program and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Unique projects and partnerships from across the state are highlighted, in addition to news related to public transportation, aviation and rail freight.
Employee features are also included, detailing how PennDOT employees go the extra mile to serve taxpayers.
The newsletter is available by clicking on E-PennDOT Digest under the “News & Media” link on PennDOT’s Web site, www.dot.state.pa.us.
Visitors to the Web site also have the option of subscribing to the newsletter by providing a current e-mail address.
Suggestions for future articles or comments related to the digest can be e-mailed to the PennDOT Press Office at RA-penndotpress@state.pa.us.
U.S. ROUTE 1 NORTH
PECO Energy Co. will close the northbound right lane on U.S. Route 1 (Baltimore Pike) in Kennett Township, Chester County, starting Monday for gas main installation. Crews will work Mondays-Thursdays from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. through Sept. 11.
I-95 VIADUCT
Construction has started on a $12.6 million project to rehabilitate the structurally deficient 33-span structure that carries I-95 over Broad Street in South Philadelphia. Work is expected to finish in December 2010.
“Crews will work over the next 17 months to make significant structural repairs to the viaduct that dates back to the 1970s and is showing its age,” said PennDOT District Executive Lester Toaso.
PennDOT will keep three travel lanes open in each direction, but motorists will face overnight lane closures and traffic pattern shifts. The contractor is allowed to close a lane in one or both directions Sundays-Thursday 8 p.m.-5 a.m. On Fridays-Saturdays, lane closures are allowed 8 p.m.-8 a.m.
Weekend work will not coincide with a holiday weekend or a special event in the city or stadium complex.
Built in 1973, the viaduct is 2,922 feet long and 109 feet wide. It carries 95,000 vehicles a day on I-95’s three northbound and southbound lanes.

Traffic Delays
Bethel – Naamans Creek Road, Bethel Sewer Authority utility installation between Pyle and Foulk roads 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays through Aug. 14.
Also, Naamans Creek Road, utility installation between Ashbrook Avenue and Foulk Road 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays through Aug. 21. Work began June 4.
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 through Sept. 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

CARS Program To Get a Boost

noreply@blogger.com (John Roman) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 15:00:00 +0000

ROADS COL.……FOR AUG. 2—JMR
CASH FOR CLUNKERS
The House voted overwhelmingly Friday to rush $2 billion into the popular but financially strapped “Cash for Clunkers” car-purchase program after learning the trade-in incentive for buying more fuel-efficient vehicles was running out of money.
President Barack Obama said he was encouraged by the House action on the program that has exceeded expectations. Senate action is likely next week, ensuring that the program won’t be affected by the cash shortage.The Car Allowance Rebate System or CARS is designed to help the economy by car sales.
Can owners can receive up to $4,500 depending upon criteria for trading in their old cars for new ones with higher gas mileage.
Congress had initially put aside $1 billion for the program. About 40,000 vehicle sales had been completed through the program, but dealers estimated they were trying to complete transactions on another 200,000 vehicles.
U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak, D-7, of Edgmont, on Friday expressed strong support for continuing the initiative, citing its positive impact on car dealers. He was in contact with local dealers Thursday.
“It is important that the program be continued even if it may be necessary to reduce the amount of the vouchers and/or increase the improvements required in fuel efficiency,” he said.
The stimulus money would still be used for energy needs while also helping struggling dealers, which are small businesses responsible for more than 70 percent of job creation, Sestak said.
SEPTA RAIL SURVEY
“What’s in a name?” begins William Shakespeare’s famous quote from Juliet in “Romeo and Juliet.” “That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”
I don’t know how sweet some SEPTA Regional Rail trains or stations smell, but SEPTA all of a sudden is considering getting rid of the “R” (for rail) train route designations in use for a quarter century. SEPTA honchos say the present system is confusing to infrequent riders – like this supposedly will attract more customers – and tourists.
Some city officials are concerned that the new naming system would be part of a broader plan to change the way SEPTA operates its trains, but SEPTA insists that only the names would change, not the operations.
SEPTA has 13 train routes designated R1 (Airport Line) through R8. There are two different final destinations for each R route, for example some R3 trains have a final stop at Media or Elwyn in the county and another R3 goes to West Trenton, N.J. The latter end-of-the-line would be really out of the way for a new commuter who didn’t know where he was going in trying to go to Delco.
Also, confusing are the similar R2 designations for both the R2 Warminster and the R2 Wilmington/Newark, Del.
The Delaware Valley Association of Rail Passengers says there’s a general consensus that the current system is confusing.
I’m all for finding a way to make your way around the suburbs and city easier, but I don’t know how much such a signage project would cost in the long run, what with the expense of paint, installation and sign materials -- and labor.
If federal stimulus money could be directed toward this project, that’s one thing, but otherwise I feel SEPTA has more important priorities with regular riders than worrying about the occasional rider or tourist.
But if this brainstorm goes through, I think they should still use the R designation, but with a different number for each route. Using the beginning of a route, such as Market Street East and the end, such as Elwyn for the R3 line would require a longer sign: “R3 Market St. East./Elwyn.”
I say stick with the outbound designations from the Philadelphia starting points at Suburban Station, Market Street East and 30th Street.
If you have any suggestions or comments you can go online at www.septa.org, and fill out an 18-question survey. I did.
It remains to be seen if we “…should leave well enough alone,” as Mark Twain aptly said.
Preliminary work will begin Monday on a $21.7 million economic recovery project to install Intelligent Transportation System components on I-95 in Philadelphia and Bucks counties and I-676.
Crews will work over the next two weeks to take core samples of the subsurface where new overhead dynamic message signs are to be erected on I-95 between the Route 1 Interchange in Bucks County and the Broad Street interchange in Philadelphia, PennDOT said.
The core samples are needed for the design of foundations for the new sign structures. During the next two weeks, I-95 drivers will encounter short-term shoulder closures Mondays through Thursdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and short-term lane closures from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. the next morning.
The contractor will start on I-95 South at the Route 1 Interchange and crews will proceed south to the Broad Street Interchange. Upon reaching Broad Street, crews will move onto I-95 North.
This is the first of three ITS projects financed with economic recovery funds that will proceed into construction this year to install closed-circuit television cameras, dynamic message boards, incident detectors and travel-time readers to help pinpoint incidents and alert motorists of travel conditions on I-95, said PennDOT District Executive Lester C. Toaso.
Toaso said the state’s network of ITS equipment on I-95 currently covers the area between Philadelphia International Airport and Route 132 (Street Road). The three upcoming ITS projects will close coverage gaps between these two points, while extending coverage north to the New Jersey line and south to the Delaware state line.
The project financed with federal funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act covers 19 miles of I-95 between Broad Street and I-676 in Philadelphia, and between Academy Road and Route 1 in Philadelphia and Bucks counties. It also includes 2.1 miles of I-676 between I-76 and I-95 in Philadelphia.
On I-95, PennDOT will install 17 new closed-circuit television cameras, 10 dynamic message signs, 54 travel time readers and 40 incident detectors. Crews will also upgrade 14 existing closed-circuit TV cameras and four existing message signs. On I-676, the contractor will install three dynamic message signs and vehicle detectors.
Within the five-county Philadelphia region, PennDOT will invest $254.4 million of federal economic recovery funds on 29 transportation projects, which include road/bridge improvements, ITS installations, traffic signal upgrades, multi-use trail construction and curb ramp replacements.
BARRY BRIDGE
The Commodore Barry Bridge will have two 15-minute stoppages in both directions 12-5 a.m. Thursday because of PennDOT ramp construction on the Pennsylvania side of the bridge.
Traffic Delays
Rumble strip installation countywide – sections of Routes 1, 3, 13, 322, 352 and 491, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays.
Bethel – Naamans Creek Road, Bethel Sewer Authority utility installation between Pyle and Foulk roads 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays.
Also, Naamans Creek Road, utility installation between Ashbrook Avenue and Foulk Road 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays through Aug. 21. Work began June 4.
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 through Sept. 6.
Also, Chichester Avenue, milling between Bethel Avenue and Larkin Road 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

Less Miles Being Driven

noreply@blogger.com (John Roman) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 15:14:00 +0000

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.

Road Reflectors Being Installed

noreply@blogger.com (John Roman) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:47:00 +0000

ROADS COLUMN, for July 19…
(Reflective Markers to be installed next two weeks on I-95 next two weeks in Delco)
New reflective markers will be installed during the next two weeks on I-95 in Delaware County from the Delaware state line approaching Exit 1 to Exit 12 (Philadelphia International Airport), PennDOT said.
The work is part of a $421,347 project to install reflective pavement markers on several state highways and ramps in the region.
Installation will be done tonight through Thursday and from July 26 to 28 from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. each night. The work crew will occupy one lane to conduct a slow-moving operation.
Motorists are advised to be alert of this moving operation and to expect possible slowdowns when driving near the work crews. The operation is dependent on the weather.
PennDOT is installing the markers to improve visibility and safety for drivers at night and in bad weather such as rain or fog. They are installed along center lines, edge lines and ramps.
The markers more clearly define travel lanes and ramps, helping to prevent lane crossovers.
The devices supplement the reflective paint that is already used to designate highway lanes. Similar markers have been installed on many highways in the state.
It only takes a minute or less to install each marker, so it is possible to install about 66 markers per hour, depending on the location.
Each marker has a cast-iron housing with a plastic reflector in the center. The devices measure 10 inches long by 5 1/2 inches wide, and weigh about 5 1/2 pounds each. Yellow reflectors are used for center lines, white reflectors are used for edge lines and two-color (red and white) reflectors are for exit and entrance ramps.
The reflector is recessed below the surface of the housing and is designed to be plowed of snow.
Similar reflectors have already been installed on Route 3, Route 30 and Route 322 in Delaware County and I-95 in the vicinity of Philadelphia International Airport.
Traffic Delays
Line painting – Springfield, Media, Swarthmore, Chester, Upper Darby and Lansdowne, slow moving operation to paint lines on state highways, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. weekdays.
U.S. Route 202 – Chadds Ford and Concord, paving between Baltimore Pike and Brintons Bridge Road 7 p.m.-5 a.m. tonight through Wedsnesday.
Radnor – Lancaster Avenue (Route 30), milling/paving between Chester County line and Radnor-Chester Road 7 p.m. tonight through Thursday.
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 9 tonight--5 a.m. through Wednesday.
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 starting Monday and through Nov. 30.
West Chester Pike (Route 3) – Edgmont, Haverford, Marple and Newtown, rumble strip installation between Chester County line and Springfield Road, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursday-Friday.
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.
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.

Philadelphia Accident-Prone

noreply@blogger.com (John Roman) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:04:00 +0000

Road Watch Col. For July 12
Philadelphia ranks as one of the least safe driving cities, sixth worst in the nation, according to a report released by Allstate Insurance Company.
For the fifth year, Allstate has released its annual report which ranks America’s 193 largest cities in terms of car collision frequency to identify which cities have the safest drivers, according to Allstate data. This year’s report highlights America’s most improved motorists.
Philadelphia ranked seventh worst last year. Of the 10 largest cities, Philadelphia ranked dead last for the second year in a row.
The average driver in Philly will experience an auto collision every 6.4 years, a decrease of 0.2 from the 2008 report. Drivers in the city are 57 percent more likely than the national average to experience a crash.
“We don’t want drivers in Philadelphia to be discouraged by their ranking,” said an Allstate spokesman. “Instead, we hope the report will challenge drivers in Philadelphia to make positive changes to their driving habits that will in turn make the city a safer place to live, work and raise families.”
Auto crashes in general have declined over the last few years, but crash fatalities still average around an alarming 40,000 every year despite technological advances, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Human error is the biggest cause of accidents so it is vital for drivers across the country to be tolerant and attentive behind the wheel.
Alexandria, Va., topped the most-improved chart, improving its years between accidents by 1.8 years and climbed from the 194 spot in 2005 to 174 in 2009. Five of the top 10 most improved driving cities were located in Virginia: Alexandria, Hampton, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and Richmond.
Drivers from Sioux Falls, S.D., maintained their status as the safest city in this year’s report for the fourth consecutive year. However, two new cities championed their way into the top 10, Eugene, Oregon, and Boise, Idaho.
Drivers in cities with populations of 1 million or more are more likely than the national average to experience a collision. Motorists in Phoenix, Ariz., topped the list in this category, making them the safest big city commuters.
Allstate offers the following safe driving tips:
BULLET Minimize distractions: engaging in any other activity while driving, talking on your cell phone, text messaging, changing a radio station or putting on makeup is a distraction.
BULLET Be aware of road conditions: ice, snow, fog and rain are all hazardous weather conditions which require extra caution and slower speeds.
BULLET Maintain a safe distance between your vehicle and others, at least one car length space between your car and the vehicle in front of you for every 10 miles per hour of speed.
BULLET Steer clear of road rage. Reduce stress on the road by allowing plenty of time for traveling, planning your route in advance and altering your schedule or route to avoid congest roads. Don’t challenge aggressive drivers and avoid them.
BULLET Maintenance matters. Safety also depends on the maintenance of one’s car. Ensure that the engine, brakes, exhaust system, tires, lights, battery and hoses are in good working order.
WATER MAIN WORK
Aqua Pennsylvania will close Church Lane (Route 13) between Pembroke and Baltimore avenues in East Lansdowne starting Monday and through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for water main installation by Aqua Pennsylvania.
During construction, Church Lane traffic will be detoured over Pembroke Avenue, Lansdowne Avenue and Baltimore Avenue.
In addition, Baltimore Avenue will be closed between Church Lane and Lansdowne Avenue in Upper Darby, Lansdowne and East Lansdowne beginning July 20 and through Nov. 30 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for water main installation. During construction, Baltimore Pike traffic will be detoured over Route 13, MacDade Boulevard and Lansdowne Avenue.
Local access will be maintained up to the construction zones. Motorists are advised to allow extra time when traveling through these areas.
ITS PROJECTS
PennDOT awarded a $13.6 million contract to Carr & Duff Inc. of Huntingdon Valley, Montgomery County, for a project to install Intelligent Transportation System equipment on I-95 and I-476 (Blue Route) in Delaware County.
PennDOT expects this project to go to construction later this month.
The ITS project covers 16 miles of I-95 between the Delaware state line and the Broad Street Interchange in Philadelphia.
The project also includes 14 miles of I-476 between the I-95 Interchange and Route 30 (Lancaster Avenue) Interchange in Delaware County.
The contractor will install 17 closed-circuit television cameras, three dynamic message signs, 14 vehicle detectors and 15 travel-time readers on I-95 to extend ITS coverage area to the Delaware state line.
The contractor will also install eight dynamic message signs and 11 travel-time readers on I-476 to complement the existing ITS equipment on the highway.
PennDOT also awarded a $190,000 contract to C. Abbonizio Contractors Inc. of Sewell, N.J., for the construction of new concrete curb ramps in Brookhaven.
Curb ramps will be constructed on Brookhaven Road between South Gray Street and Barlow Avenue, and on Bridgewater Road at Trimble Boulevard to ensure the new ramps meet the latest design standards.
Some 36 ramps will be rebuilt under this borough project and PennDOT expects construction to start in August.
Traffic Delays
Springfield -- Sproul Road (Route 320), road reconstruction and widening with lane restrictions between Baltimore Pike and Route 420, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays through Aug. 14. Work began July 6.
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.
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. Monday through October, detour posted.
Upper Chichester – Naamans Creek Road, utility installation, closed/detoured between Meetinghouse Road and I-95, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., weekdays through July 18. Work began May 11.
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.
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.

It's the Law: Wipers On -- Headlights On!

noreply@blogger.com (John Roman) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:31:00 +0000

Road Watch for June 21…
PennDOT has unveiled a new traffic safety Web site – DriveSafePa.org – which will give motorists greater access to highway safety resources.
The site is part of PennDOT’s new highway safety campaign, Drive Safe PA, which aims to save at least 100 or more lives on Pennsylvania highways each year.
DriveSafePA.org offers information and tips on these highway safety areas: aggressive driving, bicycle/pedestrian, child passenger safety, heavy trucks, engineering infrastructure, impaired driving, mature drivers, motorcycle safety, school bus safety, seat belts, work zones and young drivers.
Each of these areas is highlighted as part of an interactive quiz that allows motorists to test their highway safety knowledge.
In addition, the Web site contains educational resources, including videos, radio public service announcements and traffic safety brochures. Recently enacted traffic safety laws such as the “Steer Clear” law and wiper and headlights law are also included on the site.
Which reminds me: with all this rainy and soggy weather this month, I couldn’t believe this past week how many drivers are clueless about the wiper/headlights law!
For your information – and mentioned in this column in the past – as of January 2007, motorists must turn on their headlights anytime their vehicles’ windshield wipers are in continuous or intermittent use due to weather or other atmospheric conditions such as fog or mist.
Motorists who do not comply with the law could face a $25 fine, but with fees and other associated costs, the penalty would approach $100.
So please turn on your headlights in rainy or misty weather during the day because it makes it a lot easier to see your car – especially if it’s white, silver or gray in color.
“As summer driving season is about to shift into high gear, this is an ideal time to remind motorists about the importance of highway safety,” says PennDOT Secretary Allen D. Biehler.
“Whether it’s buckling yourself and your children in the family vehicle or taking your motorcycle for a scenic ride, being a responsible driver is the key to reaching your destination safely,” he said.
DriveSafePA.org will also include a monthly update on Pennsylvania traffic fatalities in an effort to emphasize the number of tragic losses that could be prevented by simply remembering to drive safe in Pennsylvania.
Chester Ramps
Construction is scheduled this week along Route 291 (Second Street) in Chester as part of an economic recovery project to replace 1,365 curb ramps compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
There will be intermittent lane restrictions on Route 291 between Grace and Bradley streets in Chester from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Motorists are advised to allow extra time when traveling through the area. The work is weather dependent.
The work is being done under a $4.8 million contract financed by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Other state roads in the county slated for new curb ramps are located in Yeadon, Upland, Chester Township, Brookhaven, Parkside, Eddystone, Ridley Township, Tinicum, Nether Providence, Springfield, Collingdale, Darby Borough, Upper Darby, Aldan, Clifton Heights and Marple.
Commodore Barry Bridge
Beginning 9 p.m. Friday, the right lanes on the Commodore Barry Bridge will be closed in both the eastbound and westbound directions.
At midnight, the entire bridge will be closed to all traffic.
The bridge is scheduled to reopen 4 a.m. Saturday. The reason for the closure is PennDOT construction of new ramps adjacent to the bridge.
Schuylkill Expressway
Overnight lane closures will be in place on I-76 (Schuylkill Expressway) in Philadelphia this week for bridge construction at the University Avenue/Grays Ferry Avenue Interchange (Exit 346B) and at the South Street Interchange (Exit 346A), PennDOT said.
I-76 will be reduced to one lane in each direction 8 p.m.-5 a.m. weeknights at the University Avenue/Grays Ferry Avenue Interchange for the replacement of bridge expansion joints. The eastbound and westbound left lanes will be closed during construction.
The work is part of PennDOT’s $24 million project to rehabilitate and repair the adjoining nine-span and 16-span bridges carrying the expressway over the Schuylkill River, CSX Railroad tracks, Grays Ferry Avenue and 34th Street.
From 10 p.m. Thursday to 5 a.m. Friday, I-76 West will be reduced from two lanes to one at the South Street Interchange (Exit 346A) for the construction of a new bridge pier. The westbound right lane will be closed during this time.
The work is part of the City of Philadelphia’s $67 million project to build a new South Street Bridge.
Traffic Delays
I-95 North/South – Chester, Ridley Township and Tinicum, bridge repairs between Philadelphia International Airport and the Blue Route (I-476), 10 p.m.-5 a.m. today through Thursday.
Ridley Township – MacDade Boulevard, Aqua utility installation between Cedar Avenue and Holmes Road 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays.
Haverford – Karakung Drive, installation of raised pavement markers/rumble strips between Manoa and Haverford roads 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays.
Middletown – U.S. Route 1 ramps at Route 352, paving on ramps 9 p.m.-5 a.m. Tuesday-Wednesday.
Radnor – Conestoga Road, installation of pavement markers/rumble strips between Montrose and Callahan avenues 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesday-Friday.
Marple – Cedar Grove Road, paving between Old Cedar Grove Road and Park Lane 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursday-Friday.
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. June 29 through October, detour posted.
Upper Chichester – Naamans Creek Road, utility installation, closed/detoured between Meetinghouse Road and I-95, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., weekdays through July 18. Work began May 11.
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.
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.

More Curb Ramp Work Scheduled

noreply@blogger.com (John Roman) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:07:00 +0000

ROAD WATCH FOR JUNE 14
A PennDOT contractor will begin construction Monday to replace 1,365 American with Disabilities Act or ADA compliant ramps in Delaware County under a $4.8 million contract with C. Abbonizio Contractors Inc. of Sewell, N.J., financed by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
The contract is expected to be completed in May 2010.
Starting Monday, crews will work on Route 291 (Second Street) in Chester with intermittent lane restrictions from Booth to Wilson streets from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Motorists are advised to allow extra time when traveling through the area.
In accordance with the ADA of 1990, PennDOT installed about 100,000 curb ramps between 1992 and 1995 for use by individuals with disabilities. Since that time, design standards for curb ramps have changed and most ramps must be rebuilt to conform to the latest standards.
This important work can be advanced with the help of money from the ARRA, PennDOT said.
In the five-county Philadelphia region, PennDOT is investing $257.7 million of federal economic recovery money on 21 state and local transportation projects that will improve roads and bridges, install Intelligent Transportation System equipment, upgrade traffic signals, build a multi-use trail and bring over 3,500 handicapped curb ramps up to current design standards.
TIRE SAFETY
National Tire Safety Week was last week, but it’s never too late to remind motorists about the importance of proper tire inflation during summer months as you drive off for summer vacation.
Make sure your tires are ready for the road, PennDOT says. It’s also important to check tire pressure, tread wear and wheel alignment.
Tires provide essential traction during summer rainstorms and an under- or over-inflated tire can pose a serious safety hazard, says PennDOT Secretary Allen Biehler.
More than 1,900 crashes on state roads last year involved a tire failure and resulted in 34 fatalities, according to PennDOT.
Correct tire pressure is important, especially during the summer months as warm temperatures can cause inflation pressure to rise which may lead to a blowout if the tire is in poor condition, according to the Rubber Manufacturers Association.
Proper inflation also improves fuel efficiency. It is best to check tire inflation when the vehicle’s tires are cool and not hot from driving. In addition to checking tire pressure, visually inspect the tires to make sure there are no nails or other objects that could puncture the tire.
Alignment is easier to judge since a vehicle will often pull to one side when the wheels are misaligned. Alignment should be corrected by a licensed mechanic since misalignment can cause uneven or premature wear of the tires.
Regularly rotating tires according to your vehicle’s owner’s manual improves safety. A good rule of thumb is to have your tires rotated every 5,000-8,000 miles.
Finally, motorists should monitor the wear of their tires to ensure good traction. To quickly check the tire tread, insert a penny in the tread groove with Lincoln’s head upside down – if you can see the entire head, your tires are worn and should be replaced.
For more information, you can obtain a copy of RMA’s brochure tire safety by contacting their local PennDOT District Press Office at 610-205-6800.
I-95 – DELCO
Lane restrictions are scheduled on I-95 North/South between the Blue Route (I-476) and the Commodore Barry Bridge in Chester, Ridley Township and Tinicum, and Philadelphia 10 p.m. Monday to 5 a.m. Tuesday.
Lane restrictions will also be in place on I-95 North/South between the Philadelphia International Airport and I-476 in Chester, Ridley and Tinicum, and Philadelphia Tuesday through Thursday nights 10 p.m.-5 a.m.
During this operation, crews will seal pavement joints, repair bridge deck, deteriorated concrete and shear blocks.
SCHUYLKILL EXPRESSWAY
The left lane on I-76 East (Schuylkill Expressway) will be closed between University Avenue and Walnut Street in Philadelphia on Monday 10 p.m.-5 a.m. for the installation of protective shielding and the removal of forms from the South Street Bridge by the City of Philadelphia, PennDOT said.
Backups are expected to occur.
BARRY BRIDGE RAMPS
Traffic restrictions are scheduled on several highways in Chester for bridge construction for PennDOT’s $71 million project to construct two new ramps off the Commodore Barry Bridge to provide direct access between I-95 and Route 291 (Second Street). Construction is scheduled to finish in 2011.
Monday-Friday, there will be intermittent stoppages 12-5 a.m. on the northbound/southbound ramps to the bridge, on the Ninth Street ramp to the bridge, and on the westbound approach to the bridge.
Traffic Delays
Upper Chichester – Naamans Creek Road, utility installation, closed/detoured between Meetinghouse Road and I-95, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., weekdays through July 18. Work began May 11.
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.
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.

People Holding on to Their Cars Longer

noreply@blogger.com (John Roman) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 18:00:00 +0000

More than half of motorists are driving cars five years old or older, a recent AAA Mid-Atlantic Web poll has found.
In the poll posted on AAA’s Cars & Driving blog for two weeks in May, only 5 percent responded that they drive a car less than one year old – compared to 54 percent who said they are driving a car five years or older.
These poll results are consistent with recent news reports which peg the average age of America’s car and truck fleet at a record-high number – 9.4 years (source: R.L. Polk). For motorists with aging cars who are trying to stretch household budgets in this recession, keeping vehicles in good working order should be a priority.
Because older vehicles tend to break down more often than newer vehicles, particularly in summer heat, it’s important to stick to a regular maintenance schedule.
“Not only is it important to maintain your vehicle to keep it running as efficiently as possible, but also to ensure that you are not hit with a huge unexpected repair bill at some point,” said AAA spokeswoman Catherine Rossi.
Here’s some AAA tips for maintaining older vehicles:
BULLET Follow the vehicle manufacturer’s maintenance schedule.
BULLET Check your battery. Batteries more than two years old should be tested by a qualified technician to make sure they have the starting power to handle the stress of extreme temperatures.
BULLET Change your motor oil every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. Motor oil helps keep the engine cool. Check levels and condition. If driving under extreme conditions – such as over mountains or towing a heavy trailer – switch to a motor oil with higher viscosity. Check the owner’s manual for specific oil recommendations.
BULLET Inspect antifreeze/coolant level and condition, making certain the proper 50/50 mixture of water and coolant is present.
BULLET Check the air conditiong system. If needed, have it serviced by a qualified technician. Do not allow the use of non-approved substitute refrigerants.
BULLET Check other under-the-hood components such as belts and hoses. These rubber parts are affected by extreme heat and should be regularly inspected. Be sure the vehicle engine is turned off before inspecting these items.
PHILLY BIKE RACE
After a rocky funding start, the 25th Philadelphia International Cycling Championship Race rolled out at 9 a.m. Sunday in Philadelphia. It ended about 3:20 p.m.
So you should be prepared to deal with traffic blockages in and around the city from the Ben Franklin Parkway to Manayunk, the site of the torturous climb called the Manayunk Wall.
I attended the first race in 1985 back when the former CoreStates Bank sponsored it – several banks since then have sponsored it. And I still have the faded, shrunken T-shirt to prove it.
There’s nothing like the party atmosphere and cheers and cow bells ringing as the competing cyclists battle wheel-to-wheel 10 times up the hill in Manayunk during 10 laps of the 156-mile cycling event.
The first race in 1985 with 76 cyclists was won by Olympic gold medalist skater and professional cyclist Heiden, racing for the 7-Eleven team.
It remains the longest running and most important single-day cycling road race in the United States. About 17 domestic and eight international cycling teams will comprise the rich field of 200 riders battling in the fiercely competitive race.
The well-attended sporting event also includes the four-lap, 57.6-mile Liberty Classic with more than 100 professional international women cyclists competing 10 minutes after the male riders spin off on the same 14.4-mile course.
The race has hosted some of the sport’s greats from around the world and played a large part in developing cycling in the U.S., serving as the national USPRO championship race for 20 of those years from 1985 until 2005. The grueling race has often been made difficult by scorching heat and the Manayunk Wall climb.
But luckily this year, the National Weather Service forecasts mostly sunny skies with highs only in the lower 80s Sunday with north winds around 5 mph. I wouldn’t miss the quarter-century event for the world. Safe driving and cycling.
LINE PAINTING
On Monday, June 8, PennDOT crews will paint traffic lines along I-95 North/South between Route 63 (Woodhaven Road) in Philadelphia and Route 420 in Delaware County from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
During the slow moving operation, motorists will face possible delays and should avoid driving over the newly painted line.
I-95 – DELCO
Weeknight lanes restrictions are scheduled on I-95 North/South 10 p.m.- 5 a.m. Monday-Thursday between the Blue Route (I-476) and the Chichester Avenue interchanges for joint sealing and other repairs.
Two lanes will be closed Monday in both directions.
Two lanes will be closed on I-95 North Tuesday.
Wednesday and Thursday, two lanes will be closed on I-95 South.
Traffic Delays
Thornbury – Dilworthtown Road, pipe replacement, closed/detoured between Westtown and Creek roads, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. weekdays.
Ridley Township – Fairview Road, CSX Railroad crossing upgrading, closed/detoured between Sherman Avenue and Elm Street, 9 a.m. Tuesday to noon Friday.
Bethel – Naamans Creek Road, United Water utility installation between Foulk and Zebley roads 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesday-Friday.
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.; 6 p.m.-6 a.m. weekdays through June 12. Work begins Monday.
Upper Chichester – Naamans Creek Road, utility installation, closed/detoured between Meetinghouse Road and I-95, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., weekdays through July 18. Work began May 11.
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.
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.

PRENDIE SCORES ON SEAT BELT USE

noreply@blogger.com (John Roman) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 20:14:00 +0000

June 1 – ROAD WATCH BLOG….
Seat Belt Challenge Winner
Archbishop Prendergast High School in Upper Darby won the Delaware County Transportation Management Association’s first High School Seat Belt Challenge.
This year, Prendergast, Strath Haven and Monsignor Bonner high schools participated in the challenge, competing for a $500 grant and a display trophy.
The DCTMA conducted two anonymous, unannounced surveys as a way to track the number of students and passengers who wore their seat belts on their way to school. One survey was done before a schoolwide safety assembly in March and another about a month later.
The school’s students that showed the most improved seat belt use rate won the contest.
Students used the time between surveys to promote seat belt and carpool safety among the student body. DCTMA also helped students by producing a number of posters and T-shirts for the students.
The challenge is sponsored by the DCTMA in conjunction with Delaware County Highway Safety and local police. Event sponsors included the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, State Farm Insurance and Wheat Services.
The DCTMA already has more schools on board for next year’s challenge. Visit www.dctma.org for more information or call 610-892-9440 to learn how you can get involved next year.
Water Main Work
Aqua Pennsylvania will close lanes on two roads in Upper Darby and Newtown for water main installation starting today through June 15 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to PennDOT.
In Upper Darby, Church Lane will be restricted between Clover Lane and Walnut Park Drive 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays starting today and through June 15.
In Newtown, St. Davids Road will be restricted between Andover and Glendale roads 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays from Tuesday through June 15.
Naamans Creek Road
PECO Energy will restrict Naamans Creek Road in Bethel starting Thursday through Aug. 21 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays for gas main installation.
PECO Energy will work under a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit.
Schuylkill Expressway
I-76 (Schuylkill Expressway) will be reduced from two lanes to one lane at the University Avenue/Grays Ferry Avenue Interchange (Exit 346B) in Philadelphia during overnight hours this week for construction and resurfacing on the adjoining nine-span and 16-span bridges carrying the expressway over the Schuylkill River, CSX Railroad tracks, Grays Ferry Avenue and 34th Street, PennDOT said.
Work began Monday at 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., and the westbound left lane will be closed through Thursday.
From 8 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday, I-76 West will be reduced from two lanes to one.
Motorists are urged to leave additional time to travel through the construction area because backups will occur during the late night and early morning work hours.
This work is part of PennDOT’s $24 million project to rehabilitate and repair the two adjoining bridges. Construction is scheduled to finish in November; it began in March 2008.
PATCO
The region’s first automated fare collection system, PATCO’s Freedom Card, will soon be even more convenient in a matter of months. The new system should be on line and ready to go in the fall.
PATCO’s board approved a three-year, $317,420 contract with Acadaca of New York City to develop a process for PATCO customers to load their FREEDOM cards on line, sign up for an account and manage their cards.
“We were the first in the region to give our customers the convenience of smart card technology,” said PATCO President John J. Matheussen. “Now we are adding Web based ticketing to allow FREEDOM card holders to check account transaction, add value to their cards, register cards, enroll in autoload/automatic replenishment and edit account information on line.”
Acadaca has developed Web ticketing for Miami Dade Transit and the PATH system in Northern New Jersey.
DRPA Officer Honored
Police Officer Richard Ciaccia of the Delaware River Port Authority Police, a resident of Ridley Park, was honored with a merit award last week along with Cpl. Chris Bell for devotion to duty.
On July 30, Bell was on routine patrol in the area of the Sixth Street tunnel near the Benjamin Franklin Bridge when he was flagged down by a person who told him he had just been assaulted and robbed by three males in the tunnel, according to the DRPA.
Bell placed the victim in the rear of his patrol car and while gathering flash information searched for the suspects. The victim noted that one of the suspects was inside the Dunkin’ Donuts on Broadway.
Ciaccia entered the store alone and with limited information and without regard for his own safety engaged this suspect. Bell arrived and the suspect was taken into custody.
An area check continued with the other suspects being observed jogging north along Broadway and then splitting up. A foot chase ensued by Bell into the Sixth Street tunnel for the suspects while Ciaccia pursued the fourth suspect where Ciaccia, having his arm slammed in a door, lost this suspect inside the building.
Bell and Ciaccia processed a suspect who was charged with second-degree robbery and third-degree aggravated assault and remanded to jail in lieu of $85,000 cash bail.
The teamwork, quick response and decisive action by the two officers reflected “positively upon you as well as the entire DRPA,” according to spokesman Ed Kasuba.
Route 100
Lane restrictions are scheduled weekdays and weeknights this week on Route 100 North in Upper Uwchlan, Chester County, for road widening.
Rail Crossing Work
CSX Railroad will close two roads in Delaware County for the replacement of old rail crossings in Ridley Park and Ridley Township.
In Ridley Park, Swarthmore Avenue will be closed between Hancock Avenue and Rodgers Street 9 a.m. today through 4 p.m. June 5, PennDOT said.
During construction, vehicles will be detoured over MacDade Boulevard, Fairview Avenue and South Chester Pike.
In Ridley Township, Fairview Road will be closed between Sherman Avenue and Emlen Street from 9 a.m. June 8 to 6 p.m. June 12. During construction, vehicles will be detoured over MacDade Boulevard, Bullens Lane and Chester Pike.
Local access will be maintained up to the construction zones. Motorists are advised to allow extra time when traveling through these areas.
Traffic Projects
Among the communities receiving funds from the state for 80 transportation projects to create green jobs, relieve traffic congestion and make it easier for students to walk and bike to school are the following:
Millbourne will receive $35,000 from the state to plan for multi-modal transportation improvements near the Millbourne SEPTA train station.
Swarthmore will get $662,270 for safetyand accessibility upgrades to the Princeton Avenue underpass, the main pedestrian link between the southern portion of the borough and the local elementary school.
Nether Providence will receive $304,500 to install sidewalk and curbing along the north side of Wallingford Avenue, which will create a safer route to Wallingford Elementary School.
Upper Darby will receive $242,893 to construct sidewalks, curb cuts and other improvements to provide a safer route leading to the Aronimink Elementary School on Bond Avenue.
Traffic Delays
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.; 6 p.m.-6 a.m. weekdays through June 12. Work begins Monday.
Upper Chichester – Naamans Creek Road, utility installation, closed/detoured between Meetinghouse Road and I-95, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., weekdays through July 18. Work began May 11.
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.
Marple – Media Line Road, Aqua installation between Lovell Avenue and Highland Road 9 a.m.-3 p.m weekdays through May 29. 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.
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.

Travel Miles Slightly Up

noreply@blogger.com (John Roman) — Tue, 26 May 2009 14:59:00 +0000

May 24 – Road Watch Col.

For a second month in a row, Pennsylvanians traveled slightly more vehicle miles compared to the same period last year, AAA Mid-Atlantic reports.
In March 2009, residents drove 163 million more miles, an increase of nearly 2 percent compared to March 2008.
Seventeen other states also posted slight increases in vehicle-miles traveled, according to federal highway data.
Nationally, Americans continued to drive less, posting a decrease of 1.2 percent or 3.1 billion fewer vehicle-miles traveled. Due to data collection and analysis, federal highway data is generally released on a two-month delay.
“Pennsylvania motorists are doing more driving,” said Catherine Rossi, AAA Mid-Atlantic spokeswoman. “Normally, we start to see more driving as weather improves.
“This is markedly different than most preceding months,” she said. “When we get April VMT numbers, we will know whether PA motorists have truly picked up the pace.”
I-95 – Philadelphia
Nighttime lane restrictions are scheduled starting Tuesday, May 26, on I-95 South between Academy Road and Cottman Avenue in Philadelphia for concrete repairs. Crews will work weeknights 8 p.m.-5 a.m. through June 9.
During this work, I-95 will be reduced from four lanes to two lanes. Motorists are advised to allow extra time when traveling through the area as backups may occur.
I-95 -- Delco
Lane restrictions are scheduled on I-95 South between the Commodore Barry Bridge and Route 322 interchanges in Chester starting Tuesday night.
The southbound traffic will be restricted from three lanes to two lanes 10 p.m.-5 a.m. during the next two weeks, PennDOT said. Motorists are advised to allow extra time when traveling through this area as backups may occur.
This work is part of PennDOT’s $10.8 million project to make structural repairs to 41 bridges on I-95 between Chichester Avenue and Route 332 in Bucks, Delaware and Philadelphia counties. The project is scheduled to finish in March 2010.
Lentz Legislation
State Rep. Bryan Lentz, D-161, of Swarthmore, has introduced legislation that would allow local police – not just state police as is the current practice – to catch speeding vehicles and increase traffic safety in the state.
In every state except Pennsylvania, municipal police officers are authorized to use radar to enforce speed limits. Radar is one of the most effective and accurate speed-control devices available.
“Putting radar equipment in the hands of local police would increase safety on our streets and reduce fatalities,” Lentz said. “Consistent enforcement of the speed limit would deter habitual speeding and send a definitive message that reckless driving is dangerous and not tolerated.”
Radar use would be permitted only by full-time local officers who are employed by full-service police departments and who have undergone training that has been approved by both state police and the Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission.
The legislation would permit local police officers to use radar in certain circumstances and with reasonable restrictions.
Lentz said his bill would also create a fund to provide grants for municipal law enforcement accreditation.
Traffic Delays
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.; 6 p.m.-6 a.m. weekdays through June 12. Work begins Monday.
Upper Chichester – Naamans Creek Road, utility installation, closed/detoured between Meetinghouse Road and I-95, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., weekdays through July 18. Work began May 11.
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.
Marple – Media Line Road, Aqua installation between Lovell Avenue and Highland Road 9 a.m.-3 p.m weekdays through May 29. 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.
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.

Seat Belts Save Lives, Guv Says

noreply@blogger.com (John Roman) — Mon, 18 May 2009 15:13:00 +0000

ROAD WATCH for May 17
Governor Edward G. Rendell proclaimed Monday, Maya 18, as Buckle Up Pennsylvania Day, urging all motorists to wear their seat belts every time they are riding in a vehicle.
Last year in the state 567 of those killed in traffic crashes were not wearing seat belts. In addition, 65 percent of all nighttime fatalities were unbuckled drivers or passengers.
To encourage more people to buckle up, more than 450 municipal police departments and state police will be enforcing the state’s seat belt law during the Click It or Ticket campaign between May 18 and June 7.
Under Click It or Ticket a motorist who is stopped and cited for a traffic violation will receive a second ticket and second fine for not buckling up. More than 5,600 seat belt citations were written duirng last year’s Click It or Ticket campaign.
In addition, nearly 300 citations were issued for child passenger safety violations.
Encouraging seat belt use is one of the primary messages of PennDOT’s new Drive Safe PA campaign, which reminds motorists to avoid life-threatening behaviors behind the wheel.
Through Drive Safe PA, PennDOT aims to save at least 100 or more lives on the state’s roads each year.
PennDOT reminds motorists there aere three seat belt violations that are primary offenses:
BULLET Drivers are responsible for securing children from birth to age four in an approved child safety seat.
BULLET A driver who is under the age of 18 may not operate a vehicle where the number of passengers exceeds the number of available seat belts.
BULLET Federal law requires commercial vehicle operators to wear a seat belt.
On Thursday, from 7 to 11 p.m., there will be nighttime traffic safety and seat belt enforcement on Township Line Road (U.S. Route 1) in Haverford; Route 13 (Chester Pike) by Ridley Park and Glenolden police; and on West Chester Pike (Route 3) by Upper Darby police.
For more information on Drive Safe PA, contact the PennDOT Press Office at RA-penndotpress@state.pa.us.
King of Prussia Road
PennDOT reopened King of Prussia Road in Radnor late Friday afternoon following major structural repairs to the stone masonry bridge near the intersection of Gulph Creek Road.
King of Prussia Road was closed to traffic on April 20 due to a severely damaged stone wing wall that supported the roadway approach to the bridge. The damaged portion of the wall was 12 feet wide by 12 feet high.
The small bridge spanning Gulph Creek and located between Gulph Creek and Biddulph roads was built in 1935 and carries about 16,000 vehicles a day. The bridge is 17 feet long and 22 feet wide.
PennDOT work crews from Delaware and Montgomery counties worked six days a week over the past three weeks to remove and replace both stone wing walls on the north side of Gulph Creek, and to rebuild the roadway approach to the bridge.
“Our bridge crews…did a terrific job in working nearly every day since April 21 to rebuild two badly deteriorated walls,” said PennDOT District Executive Lester C. Toaso.
Seat Belt Challenge
The Delaware County Transportation Management Association will award a cash prize and trophy to the winning school in the first Delaware County High School Seat Belt Challenge on Monday at Archbishop Prendergast High School in Upper Darby.
The school’s students showed the most improved seat belt use rate in the contest. The challenge is sponsored by the DCTMA in conjunction with Delaware County Highway Safety, a division of Public Health Management Corp.
Both organizations receive funding from PennDOT.
Curb Ramps
Construction began last week on a $346,860 project to replace 92 curb ramps at 12 intersections in Delaware County, PennDOT reported.
Crews will restrict traffic intermittently at the intersection of Baltimore Pike and Oak Avenue in Upper Darby and Clifton Heights between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. Motorists are advised to allow extra time when traveling through the area.
Additional intersections are scheduled to have ramps replaced along Baltimore Pike in Upper Darby, Springfield and Morton, and also along Springfield Road in Clifton Heights.
The work is expected to be finished by June.
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, PennDOT installed more than 100,000 curb ramps between 1992 and 1995 for use by individuals with disabilities.
Since that time, design standards for curb ramps have changed and most ramps must be rebuilt to conform to the latest standards.
Traffic Delays
Radnor – Lancaster Avenue (Route 30), traffic signal work between Old Eagle School Road and Lowerys Lane 7 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays.
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.; 6 p.m.-6 a.m. weekdays through June 12. Work begins Monday.
Upper Chichester – Naamans Creek Road, utility installation, closed/detoured between Meetinghouse Road and I-95, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., weekdays through July 18. Work began May 11.
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.
Marple – Media Line Road, Aqua installation between Lovell Avenue and Highland Road 9 a.m.-3 p.m weekdays through May 29. 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.
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.

BIKE TO WORK WEEK; I-95 BRIDGE WORK

noreply@blogger.com (John Roman) — Mon, 11 May 2009 18:08:00 +0000

May 10------ROAD WATCH
This is Bike to Work Week with a Bike to Work Day celebration to be held 8-10 a.m. Friday outside the Delaware County Courthouse, Front and Olive streets, according to the Delaware County Transportation Management Association and the Delaware County Planning Department.
The Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union is sponsoring the event. State Rep. Steve Barrar, R-160, of Upper Chichester, will be the honorary chairman and be riding his bicycle that day as well.
From points throughout the county, commuters will leave their cars at home for the day and join other cyclists riding to work. County workers and employees of other Media businesses are being encouraged to bike to work that day.
Breakfast treats and special raffle prizes donated by local businesses such as Custom Bagel, Crozer-Keystone Health System, BikeLine, Cycle Sport, 320 Produce Market and Café, Wawa Inc. and CycleFit of Delaware County.
A lucky cyclist who participates this Friday will walk away with the top prize of a brand-new Cayne Rambler bicycle, courtesy of Drexel Hill Cyclery owned by Frank Havnoonian.
“We know that people are looking for alternative ways to driving to work, both because it’s great exercise, but also because it helps our environment by lowering emissions – even if just for one day,” said DCTMA Executive Director Cecile Charlton.
“This is a great opportunity for workers to try bicycling for their daily commute,” she said. “We’re very happy to provide this opportunity and appreciate the support of the county, Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union and our local businesses.”
For more information, go to www.dctma.org or call 610-892-9440.
BARRY BRIDGE
The annual Police Unity Tour bike run will take place today with up to 500 bikers expected to arrive at the Commodore Barry Bridge between 3:30 and 5 p.m.
This could affect westbound traffic on the Barry Bridge for a short period of time when the bikers arrive, according to Edward Kasuba, spokesman for the Delaware River Port Authority.
FRANKLIN BRIDGE
In observance of National Bike Week, the Benjamin Franklin Bridge’s north walkway hours will be extended Monday-Friday, with hours from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
41 BRIDGES FACE REPAIRS
Construction starts Monday on a $10 million project to make structural repairs to 41 bridges on I-95 between Chichester Avenue and Route 332 in Philadelphia, Bucks and Delaware counties. The project is scheduled to finish in December 2010.
Work crews will initially close the right lane on I-95 South at the Engle Street overpass in Chester. Traffic will be restricted from three lanes to two on weekdays 9 a.m.-5 p.m. for the next four weeks.
Motorists are advised to allow extra time when traveling through this area as backups may occur.
Under the $10 million project, crews will improve bridges on I-95 by repairing concrete bridge decks, piers, bridge bearings, expansion joints and structural steel beams.
“This project is part of our nearly $31.5 million comprehensive program to keep I-95 in sound condition until major reconstruction projects are ready to be built,” said PennDOT District Executive Lester C. Toaso.
“This is our third project to go to construction over the past year to address structural needs at various locations on I-95 bridges in Philadelphia, Bucks and Delaware counties,” he said.
Road-Con Inc. of West Chester is the general contractor on the project financed with 100 percent state funds.
SCHOOL DAYS WANE
With proms, graduations and end-of-school-year parties fast approaching, PennDOT asks high school students and parents to remember the potentially deadly consequences of drinking and driving.
“The last few weeks of school are an exciting time, but can have devastating consequences if not celebrated safely – especially behind the wheel,” says PennDOT Secretary Allen Biehler.
“Drinking alcohol impairs a wide range of skills necessary for carrying out the multiple tasks and split-second decision making required when driving,” he said. “We ask students to celebrate in a safe manner and avoid dangerous or aggressive behaviors when driving.”
Drivers between the ages of 16 and 20 were involved in 1,614 alcohol-related crashes in 2008.
Thirty-seven in that age group were killed in those crashes, including 24 drivers who had been drinking and 10 passengers. Three individuals in that age group were drivers of other vehicles involved in the crash who had not been drinking.
PennDOT reminds young drivers that they may lose their driving privileges for any underage drinking offense, whether or not a vehicle is involved.
I-76 REPAIRS
The left lane on I-76 East/West (Schuylkill Expressway) will be closed 10 p.m. Monday to 5 a.m. Tuesday between University Avenue and 28th Street in Philadelphia for concrete barrier repairs.
BRIDGE INSPECTIONS
The right lane on the I-95 North/Girard Point Bridge will be closed between Enterprise Avenue and Broad Street in Philadelphia 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Wednesday and on Friday for bridge inspections.
Traffic Delays
Radnor – King of Prussia Road, bridge construction, closed/detoured between Gulph Creek Road and Biddulph Road, 24-hour detour through May 22. Work began April 20.
Marple – Media Line Road, Aqua installation between Lovell Avenue and Highland Road 9 a.m.-3 p.m weekdays through May 29. 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.
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.

Motorcycle Safety Month

noreply@blogger.com (John Roman) — Tue, 05 May 2009 15:18:00 +0000

Road Watch col. For May 3…

May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month and PennDOT is reminding motorcyclists to fine tune their skills through free motorcycle safety courses.
“Motorcycling requires continued skill-building and practice to ensure safety on the roadways,” says PennDOT Secretary Allen Biehler. “These courses offer all riders the opportunity to learn or review valuable safety techniques, which may help decrease their chances of becoming involved in otherwise avoidable crashes.”
Through a contract with the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, PennDOT has operated the Motorcycle Safety Program since 1984. Pennsylvania riders who hold a Class M (motorcycle) permit or license can take either the Basic Rider Course or Experienced Rider Course.
Courses are run from March through October at 70 sites across the state. Motorcycle permit holders who successfully complete the course will be issued a motorcycle license.
The 15-hour Basic Rider Course consists of five hours of in-class instruction and 10 hours of practical riding experience on a riding range under the watchful eyes of certified rider coaches. This comprehensive safety and skills overview provides valuable training for new riders and gives experienced riders who have not ridden for some time the opportunity to polish their skills.
Motorcycles and helmets are provided for students taking the basic course.
The Experienced Rider Course is a 6-hour class offering the experienced rider a chance to refresh their safety knowledge and hone their skills on a riding range under the guidance of certified rider coaches. Students taking the latter course must provide their own motorcycles and helmets.
Visit www.pamsp.com for more information on the Motorcycle Safety Program.
Information about obtaining a motorcycle license is available under the Motorcycle Information Center on PennDOT’s Web site, www.dmv.state.pa.us.
Meanwhile, AAA is urging state legislators to reinstate helmet requirements.
The number of registered motorcycles in the state increased in 2008 by more than 30,000, while the number of licensed motorcyclists increased by 15,000.
AAA supports House Bill 1253 sponsored by Rep. Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny, that would re-establish a motorcycle helmet requirement for motorcycle riders in the state.
About 50 percent of all motorcycle crashes involve another vehicle, according to AAA. In 2008 in the state, motorcycle fatalities increased to 236 from 225 the previous year, PennDOT said.
“Motorcycle helmets, just like seatbelts in cars, save lives,” said AAA Mid-Atlantic spokeswoman Catherine Rossi. “The state was wrong to repeal the helmet requirement in 2003 and we hope that lawmakers will re-instate the requirement.”
Bike Month
State Rep. David Kessler, D-Berks, has introduced a House resolution designating May as “Bike Month” in the state. He will speak at a rally in Harrisburg Tuesday that bicyclists from across Pennsylvania will hold at the state Capitol.
Bicyclists are expected from the Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Harrisburg regions, and Berks County, among other areas of the state.
The cyclists are urging support of legislation – House Bill 1110 and Senate Bill 776 – that would require motorists to provide a safe passing distance when passing bicyclists. The bills would also require motorists turning right to yield to bicyclists going straight.
Kessler will also present the rally organizers with a proclamation from Gov. Ed Rendell.
May Bridge Lighting
The Ben Franklin Bridge will have special lighting this month to celebrate Mother’s Day, Memorial Day and the 125th anniversary of Temple University – GO OWLS!
From May 11 to May 17, the bridge will have red lighting to help celebrate the university’s 125th anniversary. Temple is the 28th largest university in the U.S.
Appropriately, on Memorial Day, May 25, the bridge will have its patriotic red, white and blue lighting.
Welcome Center Repairs
The I-95 Welcome Center located on I-95 North in Delaware County, just north of the Pennsylvania/Delaware border, will be closed for pavement repairs starting Tuesday, PennDOT said.
The entrance ramp to the welcome center will close 7 a.m. Tuesday and will reopen noon Friday.
Crews will remove a truck weighing scale and replace concrete pavement at the ramp.
The facility will not be available for access during that time.
Traffic Delays
I-476 South – Ridley Township, Nether Providence, guiderail repairs, left lane closed between Baltimore Pike and I-95, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday.
I-476 North – Nether Providence, Ridley Township and Marple, guiderail repairs, left lane closed between I-95 and U.S. Route 30, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday.
U.S. Route 322 – Upper Chichester, raised pavement marker installation, left lane closed between I-95 and Bethel Road, 9 p.m.-6 a.m. Monday-Tuesday.
Bethel – Foulk Road, trench restoration, closed/detoured between Garnet Mine and Bethel roads 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays through Friday.
Radnor – King of Prussia Road, bridge construction, closed/detoured between Gulph Creek Road and Biddulph Road, 24-hour detour through May 22. Work began April 20.
Marple – Media Line Road, Aqua installation between Lovell Avenue and Highland Road 9 a.m.-3 p.m weekdays through May 29. Work began Jan. 12.
Springfield – Thomson Avenue, Aqua trench restoration between Baltimore Pike and Sproul Road 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays through May 8. Work began March 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.
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.

CARELESS DRIVING LAW ON TABLE

noreply@blogger.com (John Roman) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 17:09:00 +0000

FOR APRIL 26….ROAD WATCH…
(Shapiro’s amendment narrowly defeated, but Ross amendment re: distracted driving passes by 179-16 – DON’T MUNCH ON THAT BIG MAC, BUSTER, WHILE DRIVING.)
Although state Rep. Josh Shapiro’s (D-Montgomery) amendment that would ban hand-held cell phone use while driving was narrowly defeated last week, 100-95, along party lines, another amendment by Rep. Chris Ross, R-Chester County, to House Bill 67, was later passed, 179-16, which would address comprehensive distracted driving scenarios.
Ross inserted his amendment into the underlying bill designed to improve teen safety on the road. It would fine “distracted” drivers, if after being caught violating the careless driving statute, police find they were on the phone, texting, drinking, eating or reading.
“For the benefit of the police who are looking at drivers going by on the road, the carelessness is a much better entry point to this discussion,” Ross told the Associated Press.
Shapiro’s amendment would have allowed police to pull over and cite anyone they observed using a hand-held phone or tapping out a text message.
Republican opponents expressed doubt that police would be able to enforce such a law and argued for addressing the broader issue of distracted driving.
Rep. Ron Miller, R-York, questioned “whether the hand-held (cell phone) is the real culprit here.”
The bill would limit how many under-18 passengers a junior driver can transport, increase training for teen drivers and make several changes to improve safety.
If the teen driving bill passes the House, it will require passage by the Senate before it goes to the governor for his consideration.
Shapiro isn’t discouraged by the narrow defeat of his amendment, he told the Daily Times last week. “We made great progress and this fight is not over,” he said. He said he was confident that when the issue comes up again, “we will have the votes to pass it and make our roads safer.”
Some of the flaws in his amendment cited by fellow legislators was that it made hand-held cell phone use while driving a primary instead of a secondary offense and that hands-free phones still might have to require dialing.
Some also cited the need for a public hearing to iron out all the details which may not have been adequately addressed.
Does this new Ross amendment mean you better stop drinking out of your water bottle even when driving in extremely hot weather or that taking a bite out of that donut and sip of coffee puts you on the radar? Sounds like over-regulation to me.
It takes a lot more concentration to listen to a phone conversation while driving with only one hand on the wheel than just taking a quick bite out of your Big Mac, if you ask me. There’s got to be a better solution. And Harrisburg doesn’t seem to have it right now.
U.S. Route 202
Nighttime treavel restrictions will be in place at two locations on Route 202 in East Whiteland, Chester County, this week for continuing construction activities to replace six bridges over the expressway in Chester County.
Route 202 will be reduced to one lane in each direction Monday-Friday from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. at the southern end of the Route 29 Interchange for the installation of protective shielding on the Swedesford Road north overpass.
Occasional traffic stoppages of up to 15 minutes also may occur on Route 202 during the late night and early morning hours.
Also brief traffic stoppages will occur at the Swedesford Road south overpass between the Route 30 and Route 401 interchanges Monday-Friday 10 p.m.-5 a.m.
Ben Franklin Bridge
The Ben Franklin Bridge will be closed to all vehicular traffic 8-10 a.m. today for the March for Babies Camden Waterfront Walk to raise funds for the March of Dimes’ programs and research.
Some local roadways adjacent to the bridge will also be closed.
South Avenue Closing
GLENOLDEN – South Avenue will be closed between South Bonsall and Hillcrest avenues from 9 a.m. Monday to 4 p.m. May 1 for the replacement of an old CSX Railroad crossing, PennDOT said.
During construction, South Avenue through traffic will be detoured over MacDade Boulevard, Oak Lane and Chester Pike. Local access will be maintained up to the construction zone.
Motorists are urged to allow extra time when traveling through the area.
Traffic Delays
I-476 North/South – Ridley Township, Nether Providence and Marple, guiderail repairs, left lane closed between Marple Road and I-95, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday.
U.S. Route 1 South – Chadds Ford, raised pavement marker installation, left lane closed between U.S. Route 322 and Chester County line 9 p.m.-6 a.m. Tuesday-Thursday.
Bethel – Foulk Road, trench restoration, closed/detoured between Garnet Mine and Bethel roads 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays through May 8. Work begins Tuesday.
Radnor – King of Prussia Road, bridge construction, closed/detoured between Gulph Creek Road and Biddulph Road, 24-hour detour through May 22. Work began April 20.
Radnor – Lancaster Avenue (Route 30), traffic signal construction, right lane closures between Old Eagle School Road and Lowerys Lane, 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday.
Media Line Road – Marple and Newtown, Aqua utility installation between Route 3 and Gradyville Road 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays through May 1. Work began March 30.
Marple – Media Line Road, Aqua installation between Lovell Avenue and Highland Road 9 a.m.-3 p.m weekdays through May 29. Work began Jan. 12.
Springfield – Thomson Avenue, Aqua trench restoration between Baltimore Pike and Sproul Road 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays through May 8. Work began March 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.
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.

KING OF PRUSSIA ROAD CLOSING/DETOUR

noreply@blogger.com (John Roman) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:31:00 +0000

King of Prussia Road closed/detoured…
By JOHN M. ROMAN
jroman@delcotimes.com
RADNOR – About 16,000 vehicles a day use the tiny stone bridge on King of Prussia Road spanning the Gulph Creek, PennDOT says, but you’d hardly think that after the morning rush hour.
PennDOT shut down the bridge to traffic about 7 p.m. Monday and started working to repair the crumbling stone masonry bridge at the intersection of Gulph Creek Road at 6 a.m. Tuesday.
As a result, traffic is being detoured at Pine Tree/Eagle roads on the northern end of King of Prussia Road and at Matsonford Road on the southern end while the bridge is being repaired the next three to four weeks.
The 75-year-old bridge located between Biddulph and Gulph Creek Road was closed down because of severe damage to a wing wall that supports the roadway approach to the bridge. The damaged portion of the wall is 12 feet wide by 12 feet high.
A posted detour takes King of Prussia through traffic over Matsonford Road, Route 320, South Gulph Road and Croton Road.
“Safety is first and foremost in all aspects of our operation and the precarious state of this bridge wall requires us to take this emergency action,” said PennDOT District Executive Lester Toaso.
PennDOT aims to reopen the road “as soon as possible,” he said.
John Bush, PennDOT’s assistant county maintenance manager, was at the scene supervising eight workers. A huge crane was shoveling up large rocks from the bridge wall and spilling them into a dump truck. The retaining wall essentially failed Monday when PennDOT discovered it, he said.
Bush said PennDOT was at the scene Friday when “it wasn’t nearly as bad” and weatherwise the weekend was actually nice. “So showing up on Monday was very much a surprise.”
PennDOT got a letter from its bridge unit to do some work over there and started clearing out the area to get some equipment down in that area and came back Monday and “saw that it had collapsed.
“We’re going to do a concrete wall,” Bush said. “We’re waiting for the sketch from district (headquarters)” and then will build a new wall on both sides.
The estimated cost of the repairs is about $100,000 said PennDOT spokesman Charles Metzger. Deficiencies were found on both sides of the bridge approach, he said.
King of Prussia Road is a main artery to Eastern University and Cabrini College, which are located about a block above the north end of the bridge. It is also a major connection to the Blue Route exit/entrance (Exit 13) at Lancaster Avenue (Route 30).
Matsonford Road east of King of Prussia Road leads to Archbishop Carroll High School, Radnor Elementary School and the sprawling Radnor Corporate Center. Radnor High School on King of Prussia Road is less than a mile south of the Matsonford Road detour.
Dave Leonard, 45, of Schwenksville and formerly of Secane, a driver for FedEx, was making deliveries at the Radnor Corporate Center. He said he usually leaves his station in King of Prussia and goes down King of Prussia Road, but now he has to go to the Schuylkill Expressway and up Matsonford Road.
He estimated that the detour would be at least 15-20 minutes out of his way. He also delivers to all the residents behind the corporate center.
Leonard said he believes the road detour/closing will cause traffic to back up to the schools during the morning rush hour.
Gabrielle Kempton, 20, of Gorham, Maine, a sophomore at Eastern University, said, “the only reason I go down there (King of Prussia Road) is to get on I-476 to go north or south.
“It’s not a huge inconvenience,” she said. “I know it will back up traffic at rush hour.”
Stacy Starry, who is finishing up a master’s degree program in multi-cultural education at Eastern, came to school from Boyertown, Berks County. She said she uses King of Prussia Road to get to the university. Fortunately the detour doesn’t prohibit her from turning into the campus.
“I came from King of Prussia near the mall and then saw the detour sign and followed the detour sign,” she said. It only took her out of her way about five or 10 minutes after the morning rush hour.
Crishaw Nelson, 20, of Philadelphia, a sophomore at Eastern, said, “it does affect me if I have to go to the mall and get something to eat.
“We get out of school in a week and a half so it won’t be too bad,” he said. He added he usually uses the Blue Route (I-476) to the Schuylkill Expressway (I-76) to reach Philadelphia.