Category: News

MOTORISTS REMINDED TO DRIVE CAUTIOUSLY IN WORK ZONES

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) today highlighted more than 200 highway and bridge projects anticipated to begin or continue across PennDOT’s five-county District 6 region, spanning Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties, during this construction season.

PennDOT, AAA Mid-Atlantic, and the Philadelphia Police also urged motorists to drive cautiously in work zones – for their safety and that of workers – in observance of National Work Zone Awareness Week that runs from April 26-30.

Today’s announcement which highlighted more than $2.4 billion in transportation investments throughout the region this construction season, and includes resurfacing nearly 200 miles of highways and fixing or replacing 45 bridges, was made at the PennDOT Interstate 95 North stockpile in Philadelphia overlooking the I-95/Betsy Ross Bridge ramp construction.

“It is vital that we continue to invest in our aging infrastructure and we look forward to the continued opportunity to improve, strengthen, and secure our vast transportation network in this region in 2021,” said Acting District 6 Executive Mike Rebert. “As a reminder, motorists should use caution in work zones so our crew members can get home safely each day to their family and friends after completing this critical work.”

Notable projects that are expected to begin this year include:

• Bristol Road intersection improvement project in Bucks County ($16.3 million estimate);
• Boot Road bridge replacement in Chester County ($8.2 million estimate);
• Little Washington Road bridge replacement in Chester County ($3.5 million estimate);
• Bethel Road roundabout project in Delaware County ($1.2 million estimate);
• Route 309 connector project in Montgomery County ($35 million estimate);
• U.S. 422 improvement project in Montgomery County ($77 million estimate);
• University Avenue bridge replacement/Schuylkill River Trail project in Philadelphia ($48.5 million estimate); and
• Interstate 95 ITS enhancement project in Philadelphia ($33.7 million estimate).

Notable projects that will continue this year include:

• Two U.S. 1 corridor improvement projects in Bucks County ($207.1 million);
• Route 309 pavement preservation project in Bucks County ($54.3 million);
• U.S. 30 ITS enhancement project in Chester County ($8.1 million);
• Interstate 95 pavement preservation project in Delaware County ($69.1 million);
• Three U.S. 202 widening, improvement projects in Montgomery County ($151.2 million);
• U.S. 1 Wayne Junction Viaduct rehabilitation project in Philadelphia ($92 million);
• Chestnut Street bridges rehabilitation project in Philadelphia ($103.3 million); and
• Three mainline Interstate 95 reconstruction projects in Philadelphia ($ 489.3 million).

More information on PennDOT’s planned and active construction projects is available at www.projects.penndot.gov. PennDOT District 6 oversees and maintains 3,553 state highway miles and 2,760 bridges. To see all that District 6 has accomplished and continues to do visit  www.penndot.gov/D6Results. 

As construction projects are underway in the region, the traveling public can anticipate seeing many work zones and are urged to keep in mind their safety and the safety of highway workers.

While construction and maintenance workers are on roadways to better the public’s quality of life, PennDOT and safety partners urged motorists to help keep workers and themselves safe by obeying speed limits and avoiding distracted driving.

In 2020, there were 1,412 work zone crashes, statewide, resulting in 15 fatalities. Since 1970, 89 PennDOT employees have been killed in the line of duty statewide.

PennDOT, in partnership with The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and Pennsylvania State Police, enacted the Automated Work Zone Speed Enforcement program where cameras were deployed in active work zones in March 2020. Locations are posted on WorkZoneCameras.PennDOT.gov. The program aims to reduce work zone speeds, change driver behavior, and improve work zone safety for workers and motorists. Results have shown that vehicles traveling over the posted work zone speed limit has seen a 16.6 percent reduction since AWSZE began last March.

If you encounter our work zones, please keep the following tips in mind for your safety and the safety of highway workers:

• Drive the posted work-zone speed limit;
• Avoid distractions, stay off your phone, and give your full attention to the road;
• Stay alert and pay close attention to signs and flaggers;
• Turn on your headlights if signs instruct you to do so;
• Maintain a safe distance around vehicles. Don’t tailgate;
• Always buckle up;
• Traffic patterns can change rapidly;
• When approaching lane closures, move into the open lane as soon as possible;
• If driving a large truck or bus, remember you have limited maneuverability, so proceed with caution; and
• Slow down.

To learn more about work zone safety and other PennDOT safety initiatives, visit PennDOT.gov/Safety.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced today that construction will begin on Monday, March 22, on a project to widen and improve a 1.5-mile section of U.S.1 between the Neshaminy and Penndel/Business U.S. 1 interchanges in Bensalem and Middletown townships, Bucks County.
 
Beginning Monday, March 22, through Wednesday, March 24, from 8:00 PM to 5:00 AM the following morning, U.S. 1 will be reduced to one lane in each direction while crews set construction barrier along the northbound and southbound shoulders beginning at the ramps on the north side of the Neshaminy Interchange through the Penndel/Business U.S.1 split.
 
Barrier placement also will take place along the ramp from southbound Business U.S. 1 (Old Lincoln Highway) at the Penndel/Business U.S. 1 exit to southbound U.S. 1, reducing the ramp to a single lane.
 
Working behind the barriers during the initial stage of the section RC2 project, crews will begin clearing operations and installation of environmental controls before starting large-scale excavation of the northbound and southbound embankments.
 
In addition to the new lane restrictions, periodic nighttime lane closures also will be in place on northbound and southbound U.S. 1 for the ongoing construction to widen and improve U.S. 1 between the Old Lincoln Highway intersection and the Neshaminy Interchange.
 
Under the RC2 contract, PennDOT’s contractor will make the following improvements on U.S. 1:

• Construct a third travel lane in each direction from just north of the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s Bensalem Interchange to the Penndel/U.S.1 Business Interchange;
• Add an auxiliary in each direction between interchanges from the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s Bensalem Interchange, through the Neshaminy Interchange, to the Penndel/Business U.S.1 Interchange;
• Reconfigure and improve the Neshaminy Interchange;
• Improve the Penndel/Business U.S.1 Interchange by upgrading the ramps to current design standards and installing longer ramp acceleration/deceleration lanes;
• Construct new retaining walls along the northbound exit ramp at the Neshaminy Interchange and along northbound U.S. 1 north and south of the bridge over Neshaminy Creek.
• Install a sound barrier wall along southbound U.S. 1 on the bridge over Business U.S. 1 and CSX/SEPTA rail lines continuing north to Old Lincoln Highway;
• Reconstruct bridges over Rockhill Drive, the Neshaminy Creek (new separate northbound and southbound bridges), and over Business U.S.1 and CSX/SEPTA rail lines (new separate northbound and southbound bridges);
• Reconstruct and improve sections of Rockhill Drive, Business U.S. 1 and Old Lincoln Highway;
• Install 10 new sign structures, three Dynamic Message Signs (DMS), new traffic signals and Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) equipment;
• Relocate water service lines; and
• Upgrade highway drainage and stormwater systems. 

JD Eckman, Inc., of Atglen, PA, is the general contractor on the $110.9 million RC2 project, which is financed with 80 percent federal and 20 percent state funds. Section RC2 construction is scheduled to be completed in mid-2026.
 
Section RC2 is the second of three construction contracts to rebuild and widen U.S. 1; replace aging bridges; and install safety enhancements along a four-mile section of the expressway from just north of Philadelphia to just north of Route 413 (Pine Street) in Middletown Township and Langhorne Borough. 

Action Clears Way for Latest Round of Transportation Improvements across Pennsylvania

 
Harrisburg, PA – The State Transportation Commission (STC) today updated the 12-Year Program. The new plan anticipates $64.8 billion being available over the next 12 years for improvements to roads, bridges, transit systems, airports and railroads.
The 12-Year Program, or TYP, is a multimodal, fiscally-constrained planning tool used to identify and prioritize Pennsylvania’s transportation projects and the funds needed to complete them. State law requires the STC to review and update the 12-Year Program every two years. No capital project can move forward unless it is included in the 12-Year Program.
 
The newly adopted program, which takes effect October 1, anticipates the following funding availability in the first four years of the TYP from federal, state and local sources:

• $11.4 billion for state highway and bridge projects;
• $9.4 billion for public transit;
• $321 million for multimodal projects;
• $228 million for rail freight; and
• $138 million for aviation.

“Investments in transportation are critical for keeping our communities connected to the global economy,” said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “While additional investment in our large transportation network is certainly needed, PennDOT takes pride in being a responsible steward of federal, state and local dollars to help improve infrastructure across all modes.”
 
The TYP also highlights some of PennDOT’s major accomplishments over the past two years, such as becoming REAL ID-compliant, as well as impacts to transportation in Pennsylvania because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
Four Rural Planning Organizations, 19 Metropolitan Planning Organizations and one independent county partnered with PennDOT in the review and development of the update. Now that the STC has approved the update, it has been submitted to the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration for review and approval. The Federal Highway Administration coordinates with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to review the plan’s conformity with air quality requirements.
 
Public input early in the 12-Year planning process played a key role in identifying investments in the various transportation modes.
 
The State Transportation Commission is chaired by the Secretary of PennDOT and consists of 10 appointed citizens as well as the majority and minority chairs of the state House and Senate Transportation committees.
 
For more information about the TYP, visit www.TalkPATransportation.com.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced today that expiration dates for driver licenses, identification cards, and learner’s permits, will be extended for Pennsylvania residents in response to statewide COVID-19 mitigation efforts.

Effective July 23, expiration dates for driver licenses, photo ID cards and learner’s permits scheduled to expire from March 16, 2020 through August 31, 2020, have been extended until August 31, 2020. These extensions are in addition to those announced on June 25.

A camera card is considered a driver’s license, so it is covered by the same terms and conditions extending other driver’s license products. Camera cards with expiration dates within this timeframe are also extended through August 31, 2020.

Additionally, limited services are available at some Driver License and Photo License Centers. For a list of open driver license and photo license centers and the services provided, as well as their hours of operation, please visit www.dmv.pa.gov.   

Customers may continue to complete various transactions and access multiple resources online at www.dmv.pa.gov. Driver and vehicle online services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and include driver’s license, photo ID and vehicle registration renewals; driver-history services; changes of address; driver license and vehicle registration restoration letters; ability to pay driver license or vehicle insurance restoration fee; driver license and photo ID duplicates; and schedule a driver’s exam. There are no additional fees for using online services.

PennDOT will continue to evaluate these processes and will communicate any changes with the public.

More COVID-19 information is available at www.health.pa.gov. For more information, visit www.dmv.pa.gov or www.PennDOT.gov.

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) today announced that enforcement of the statewide Automated Work Zone Speed Enforcement (AWZSE) program begins next week. Today marks the end of a 60-day pre-enforcement period that was required by Act 86 of 2018, which established the AWZSE program.

“Through the Automated Work Zone Speed Enforcement program, we are urging motorists to slow down and pay attention while driving, especially through work zones where roadway conditions can change on a daily basis,” said acting PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “In 2018, 23 motorists were killed in a Pennsylvania work zone. Ultimately, this program is not about issuing violations, it’s about saving lives.”

Pennsylvania’s AWZSE program uses vehicle-mounted systems to detect and record motorists exceeding posted work zone speed limits by 11 miles per hour or more using electronic speed timing devices. AWZSE systems are only operational in active work zones where workers are present. Beginning today, registered owners will receive a warning letter for a first offense, a violation notice and $75 fine for a second offense, and a violation notice and $150 fine for third and subsequent offenses. These violations are civil penalties only; no points will be assessed to driver’s licenses.

Work zones are selected to maximize the effectiveness of the systems and will be marked with signage in advance of the enforcement area. Additionally, locations are posted on the project website, WorkZoneCameras.PennDOT.gov.

“While there can be fines assessed, the AWZSE program’s goal is not to generate revenue,” explained PA Turnpike CEO Mark Compton. “The goal is to build awareness and most importantly, to change unsafe driving behaviors. The program serves as a roadway reminder that safety is literally in each driver’s hands when they are behind the wheel.”

In 2018, there were 1,804 work zone crashes in Pennsylvania, resulting in 23 fatalities, and 43 percent of work zone crashes resulted in fatalities and/or injuries. Since 1970, PennDOT has lost 89 workers in the line of duty. The PA Turnpike has lost 45 workers since 1945.

For more information on the Automated Work Zone Speed Enforcement program, including a list of projects where the units are deployed, visit WorkZoneCameras.PennDOT.gov.

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November 2018 – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has awarded a $93.9 million contract to Allan Myers, LP of Worcester, PA for the reconstruction and widening of a two-mile section of U.S. 1 (Lincoln Highway) from Old Lincoln Highway to just north of the Pennsylvania Turnpike interchange in Bensalem Township, Bucks County.

The project, U.S. 1 Section RC1, is the first of three construction contracts that comprise PennDOT’s U.S. 1 Improvement Project to widen U.S. 1 (Lincoln Highway), replace aging bridges, and complete a number of highway safety enhancements along a four-mile segment of U.S. 1 that extends from Old Lincoln Highway in Bensalem Township to just north of the PA 413 (Pine Street) overpass in Middletown Township and Langhorne Borough.

Early-stage construction on Section RC1 began in late October, 2018, with work expected to ramp up in early 2019. Section RC1 includes:

• Widening and reconstruction of four bridges,
• Placement of 13 sign structures,
• Sanitary sewer and water service line relocations,
• Improvements to the highway’s storm water management system,
• Installation of new traffic signals, and
• installation of Intelligent Transportation System components.

The RC1 project will also construct sustainable enhancements adjacent to and beneath U.S. 1 (Lincoln Highway), including rain gardens and infiltration basins, construction of a sound barrier wall along a portion of southbound U.S. 1, and other miscellaneous construction.

Major modifications also will be made to the ramps to and from PA 132/Street Road and to the ramps to and from the PA Turnpike Interchanges with Route 1. Roadway and drainage improvements are also being made along Street Road for about three quarters of a mile east and west of Route 1.

Section RC1 construction is scheduled be completed in late 2022.