Results tagged “PennDOT” from Road Runner

A four-mile stretch of Route 15 in Franklin Township will be closed for about an hour Monday morning as part of a crash investigation, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

The closure is expected to start at 9 a.m., and it involves the stretch from Range End Road to the York/Adams county line.

Drivers can detour around this area by using Franklin Church Road, Old Route 15/Capitol Hill Road and Latimore Road.

Drivers can log onto 511pa.com or call 511 from any phone to check traffic conditions before heading out.

Congratulations to Lauren Beharry, who is one of the winners in PennDOT's aviation art contest.

Beharry attends Orendorf Elementary School and won for grades one through three in District 8, which includes Adams and York counties.

The winning entries will be on display in the state Capitol from Nov. 30 through Dec. 4.

The theme this year was "The History of Flight."

Wednesday is Veterans Day so all of the driver license and photo centers -- including the full-service one in Harrisburg -- will be closed.

You can still get driver and vehicle products and services online here.

It was funny to see one of PennDOT's snow trucks traveling on Interstate 83 today when it was so warm. The temperature reached a high of 70 degrees.

But winter is coming soon, and the local maintenance crews are gearing up. For two weeks, the crews will be making final preparations, such as installing and calibrating the spreaders, hitching up the plows and performing dry runs on the designated routes.

So you won't be seeing much maintenance work on the roads for two weeks. Some will be done, but most will not require any lane closures, according to PennDOT.

Road maintenance work will be winding down after this week as winter approaches.

Crews with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation have installed salt spreaders on the trucks, which will continue in the coming weeks, said Steve Grassetti, York County maintenance manager.

Crews spread a little salt on Interstate 83 and Route 851 in the early morning hours of Oct. 18 when the Shrewsbury area received a dusting of snow, he said.

Some maintenance work will continue through the winter, weather-permitting, Grassetti said.

As for the coming week, drivers could see single-lane restrictions on I-83, Business 83 and Route 15. Crews will be flushing drains on I-83 between the Strinestown exit and the
Cumberland County Line.

They'll be mowing and cutting brush on Business 83 between I-83 and South George Street.

And they'll be patching potholes on Route 15 between the Adams and Cumberland county lines.

Two roads will be closed for pipe replacement: South Salem Church Road between Emig School and Ruppert roads in Dover Township; and Pinetown Road from Route 177 to
Roundtop Road in Warrington Township.

Drivers also could see single-lane restrictions on the following roads:

--- Tyler Run Road between Queen Street and Powder Mill Road in York Township for flushing.

--- Hollywood Drive from Springwood Road to Mount Rose Avenue in York and Spring Garden townships for flushing drains.

--- Druck Valley Road between Sherman and Tracy School roads in Springettsbury and Hellam townships for drainage repairs.

--- Goram Road between routes 74 and 425 in Chanceford and Lower Chanceford townships for oil and chipping the shoulder.

--- York Haven Road between York Haven and Newberrytown for pipe patching.

--- Route 425 between Posey and Shenks Ferry roads in Lower Chanceford and Chanceford townships for mowing and brush cutting.

--- Route 516 between Sticks Road in Codorus Township and Jefferson for mowing and brush cutting.

--- Route 116 between Grandview and Smith Station roads in Penn and Heidelberg townships for mowing and brush cutting.

--- Cassel Road in Newberry Township for paving and crack sealing.

--- Canal Road from Route 30 to Biesecker Road in Paradise and Dover townships for paving and crack sealing.

--- Bull Road from Greenbriar Road to Canal Road in several municipalities for paving and crack sealing.

--- Route 30 between Route 116 in West Manchester Township and the Adams County line for paving and crack sealing.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has tapped a new executive for District 8: Tucker Ferguson.

Ferguson, who lives in Newberry Township, will lead a team of 1,112 employees who are responsible for maintenance, design and construction of all state-maintained roads and bridges in eight counties, including York and Adams, according to a news release.

Ferguson most recently served as director for construction and materials for PennDOT, where he was responsible for direction and administration of all highway and bridge construction among other duties.

He has worked for PennDOT for 19 years in a variety of capacities, including acting district executive for District 5 in Allentown from June 2007 until April 2008.

Ferguson has a bachelor's degree in civil engineering technology from the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown.

He succeeds R. Scott Christie, who was promoted earlier this year to deputy secretary for Highway Administration.

Drivers will see restrictions on Interstate 83 this week as crews patch potholes, flush drains and perform shoulder work.

Here's a schedule of the single-lane restrictions planned on the highway:

--- Flushing drains Monday on I-83 northbound between the Strinestown exit and mile marker 29.
--- Patching potholes between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tuesday on the northbound side between the state line and Emigsville exit.
--- Patching potholes between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Wednesday on the southbound side between the North George Street exit and the state line.
--- Shoulder work Thursday on the northbound side at the Lewisberry Road exit.

Three roads also will be closed this week.

South Salem Church Road will be closed between Emig Road and Route 234 in Dover Township for pipe replacement.

Pinetown Road will be closed between Route 177 and Roundtop Road in Warrington Township for pipe replacement.

Red Lion Avenue will be closed between Felton Road and Forrest Lane in Felton and North Hopewell Township for a bridge wall replacement.

Drivers might see single-lane restrictions on the following roads:

--- Goram Road between routes 74 and 425 in Chanceford and Lower Chanceford townships for base repair and widening.
--- Pinetown Road between Route 177 and Siddonsburg Road in Warrington and Fairview townships for base repair and widening. This is scheduled for Monday.
--- New Bridgeville Road between Route 624 and Richmond Road in Lower Windsor Township for pipe replacement.
--- Dunkard Valley Road between Iron Stone Hill Road and the Susquehanna Trail in Springfield Township and Loganville for mowing and brush cutting.
--- Route 516 from Sticks Road in Codorus Township to Jefferson for mowing and brush cutting.
--- Route 116 from Grandview Road to Smith Station Road in Penn and Heidelberg townships for mowing and brush cutting.
--- Conewago Creek Road from Route 181 to Route 295 in East Manchester and Conewago townships for crack sealing.
--- Route 116 from Route 30 in West Manchester Township to Spring Grove for crack sealing.

A reader pointed out that a beam on the Business 83 flyover bridge is rusty and wondered why. As you may recall, the realignment to soften Dead Man's Curve was finished about three years ago.

We contacted the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation about the concern.

A bridge engineer responded that it is a "rustic-looking bridge," and the steel girders are designed and fabricated with weathering steel. Weathering steel does not require painting.

Congratulations to two Southern York County School District students who won a school bus safety poster contest.

Margaret Howells of Southern Elementary School took third place in Division 1 (Kindergarten to Second Grade).

Angel Miller of Friendship Elementary School won first place in Division 4 (Special Education).

The theme this year, "Cross in View, it's the Right Thing to Do," stressed the need for students to stay in view of the bus driver and be cautious when the bus is loading and unloading passengers, according to the state Department of Transportation.

The winners were chosen from more than 800 public and private school student entries.

The first-place winners will be forwarded to a national competition to be judged next month.

It's Teen Driver Safety Week, and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is encouraging parents to talk with young drivers about unsafe driving behaviors.

Teens lack the experience to recognize and react to high-risk conditions and situations on the roads, PennDOT Secretary Allen D. Biehler said in a news release.

Distractions, such as additional passengers in a vehicle, talking or texting on the cell phone, adjusting the radio and eating while driving only compound the inexperience factor and increase the risk of a crash, he said.

Driver distractions contributed to approximately 10 percent of crashes involving 16-year-old to 19-year-old drivers last year.

PennDOT offers the following safety tips to young drivers:
-- Always wear your seat belt.
-- Do not drink and drive. Drinking under the age of 21 is illegal.
-- Do not talk or text on your cell phone while driving.
-- Obey the speed limit. Driving too fast gives you less time to react.
-- Do not eat or drink while driving.
-- Adjust radio or climate controls before beginning your trip, have a passenger adjust the controls for you or adjust the controls when you are stopped.
-- Plan ahead; know where you are going and get directions.
-- Leave early and give yourself plenty of time to get there.
-- Expect the unexpected.

PennDOT also offers these tips for parents:

-- Start talking with your teen about safe driving skills before they turn 16.
-- Establish a parent/teen driving contract.
-- Limit the number of passengers your teen is allowed to have in their vehicle.
-- Limit dawn, dusk and nighttime driving until your teen gathers more experience.
-- Enforce a curfew.
-- Gradually increase the amount of time/distance your teen is allowed to drive.
-- Do not allow your teen to eat or drink while driving.
-- Do not allow your teen to talk or text on a cell phone while driving.
-- Enforce observance of speed limits and other rules of the road.
-- Ride with your teen occasionally to monitor driving skills.

Snow lovers will have to head to the higher elevations in Pennsylvania this weekend if they want to enjoy an early blast of winter.

Williamsport received two-tenths of an inch of snow Thursday -- the earliest measurable snowfall for the city.

But there's no snow in the forecast for York County through the weekend, said Tony Mach of the National Weather Service in State College. It'll just be cold and rainy.

Speaking of snow, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation sent out a news release today that its plows are ready to roll.

Here are some statewide numbers to chew on:

2,200: Number of plow trucks ready to go.
40,000: Miles of state roads PennDOT takes care of.
25,000: Bridges PennDOT maintains.
5,400: Number of employees who will be working hard to keep the roads clear.
$245 million: Winter budget for this year.
673,000: Tons of salt stored at more than 400 locations.
700: Number of municipalities that PennDOT has contracts with for help in clearing the roads.

Don't forget that PennDOT has a new service so that travelers can find out about road conditions. You can either dial 511 or go here.

Nearly 88 percent of drivers in Pennsylvania are buckling up, and it's a new record high, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

The seat-belt use rate reached 87.9 percent this year, which is an increase from the previous high of 86.7 percent reported in 2007, PennDOT says.

PennDOT does not release local numbers anymore because seat belt surveys are no longer taken in almost every county. The state transportation department is working with a consulting group, which along with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration came up with a scientific method of calculating the statewide rate.

However, Wayne Harper, director of the Center for Traffic Safety, said informal surveys in York County reflect that the seat-belt usage rate is anywhere between 85 and 95 percent. Seat-belt usage is higher on Interstate 83, for example, because people are traveling at higher speeds or going long distances.

The majority of crashes, though, happen within 25 miles of the driver's home and often on a two-way road, Harper said. People can be killed at speeds as low as 12 mph.

Harper said he's happy with the 88 percent, but they still have to reach the remaining 12 percent, which includes young teenagers, pickup drivers and older people who grew up when seat belts weren't installed in vehicles.

"We'll keep plugging away until it's 100 percent," Harper said.

Drivers may see single-lane closures today and Thursday on Interstate 83 between the Strinestown and Newberrytown exits so crews can flush pipes.

They'll also be working today and Thursday on Route 15 between the Cumberland and Adams county lines for spray patching.

The remainder of the road work will be done today, Thursday and Friday.

Two roads also will be closed:

--- Goram Road between routes 74 and 425 in Chanceford and Lower Chanceford Township for widening.

--- South Salem Church Road between Canal Road and West Market Street in Dover and West Manchester townships for pipe replacement.

Drivers also may see single-lane restrictions on the following roads:

--- Mumper Lane between Chestnut Grove Road and Harrisburg Pike in Carroll Township and Dillsburg for sealing, widening and paving.

--- Route 425 in Lower Chanceford Township for mowing.

--- Route 382 between York Haven and Newberrytown for crack sealing.

--- Route 116 between Route 30 in West Manchester Township and Spring Grove Borough for crack sealing.

--- Route 214 between the Susquehanna Trail and I-83 in Loganville and Springfield Township for brush cutting.

--- Route 624 between Red Lion and Windsor boroughs for washouts.

All driver license and photo centers will be closed Saturday and Monday in observance of Columbus Day, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

Customers can order products and services online by going here.

It's that time of year again when drivers have to watch for deer darting across highways and roads.

"Deer movement increases during the fall breeding season, making it all the more important for motorists to drive defensively and stay alert, especially at dawn and dusk, to reduce the risk of striking a deer," said Allen D. Biehler, secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. "Motorists also need to be aware of hunters and others walking along roadways on their way into or out of the woods."

PennDOT is offering these tips to help you drive safely this fall:

-- Be on the alert for individuals entering the woods early in the morning and leaving in the late evening hours.

-- Pull vehicles as far off of the road as possible and remember that parking along limited access highways is prohibited except for emergencies.

-- Seek permission before parking on private property.

-- Wear reflective clothing and carry a flashlight or a glow stick to help increase your visibility.

-- Make young drivers aware of increased deer movement.

-- Slow down and use caution, particularly where deer crossing signs are posted and increase following distance between vehicles.

-- Be especially watchful during morning and evening hours when wildlife is most active;
Exercise caution when one deer crosses a roadway. Since deer often travel in small herds, one deer will usually be followed by others.

-- Always wear your seat belt.

-- Never drink and drive.

-- Turn on your headlights if your 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, according to PennDOT.

Drivers will see single-lane restrictions on Interstate 83 this week as crews patch the road and clean the drains.

On Monday, drivers should expect single-lane restrictions in the right lanes -- both
northbound and southbound -- between the Leader Heights and North George Street exits for patching.

And from Wednesday through Friday, crews will be cleaning drains between the Shrewsbury and Glen Rock exits. That involves the left, northbound lane.

Three roads will see closures this week:

---- Mount Pisgah Road between Ducktown and Poff roads in the border of Hellam and Lower Windsor townships for pipe patching and replacement. The work is slated for Monday through
Wednesday.

---- Pinetown Road from Roundtop Road in Warrington Township to the Fairview Township line for pipe replacement.

---- Westminster Road in Penn Township for the installation of a box culvert. That
work is to be done Monday through Wednesday.

Drivers also may see single-lane restrictions on the following roads:

---- Stamper Road between Muddy Creek Forks Road and Route 74 in Chanceford Township for widening. That work is slated for Monday.

---- Days Mill/Croll School roads between Route 182 and the South Branch of the Codorus Creek in York Township for widening. Crews will be working there Wednesday and Thursday.

---- Pinetown Road between Route 177 and Siddonsburg Road in Warrington and Fairview townships for widening and brush cutting.

---- Druck Valley Road between Tower and Lower Glades roads in Hellam and Springettsbury townships for cleaning outlets. Crews will be out there Thursday.

---- Yorkana Road from Hallam borough to Libhart Mill Road in Hellam Township for tree removal. That work is planned for Friday.

---- Richmond Road between Route 425 and Burkholder Road in Lower Windsor and Chanceford
townships for mowing. That's planned for Monday and Tuesday.

---- Harmony Grove Road between Route 74 and Wellsville Road in Dover and Warrington townships for mowing. The work is listed for all week.

---- Goram Road between routes 74 and 425 in Lower Chanceford and Chanceford townships for brush cutting. The work is listed for all week.

---- Route 616 between New Salem borough and Green Valley Road in North Codorus Township for shoulder work. The work is slated for all week.

---- Lucky Road between routes 425 and 74 in Chanceford Township for black top and pipe trench work. Its expected to be done Monday and Tuesday.

---- Gum Tree Road between Route 74 and Pickle Road in Chanceford Township for drain work. That's slated for Wednesday.

---- Route 116 between Route 516 and Littleton Drive in numerous municipalities for shoulder cutting. That's expected to be done Monday through Wednesday.

---- Colonial Valley Road between Old Hanover and Lescheys Church roads in Heidelberg and North Codorus townships for shoulder cutting. That work is slated for Thursday and Friday.

Traffic may be restricted to a single-lane this week on Interstate 83 between the state line and the Leader Heights Road exit as crews vacuum drains.

The same goes for Route 15 between the Adams and Cumberland county lines as crews install a box culvert there.

Also, Westminster Road in Penn Township remains closed for the installation of a box culvert.

Drivers may see single-lane restrictions on the following roads as well:

--- Druck Valley Road between Mount Zion Road and North Sherman Street in Springettsbury Township for base repair and widening.

--- Stamper Road between Route 74 and Muddy Creek Forks Road in Chanceford Township for base repair and widening.

--- Old Orchard Road between Locust Grove and Stonewood roads in Springettsbury Township for pipe replacement.

--- Mount Airy Road between Route 177 and Roundtop Road in Warrington Township for pipe replacement.

--- Lucky Road between routes 74 and 425 in Chanceford Township for pipe replacement.

--- Bull Run Road in Lower Windsor Township for mowing and brush cutting.

--- Pinetown Road between Route 177 and Siddonsburg Road in Warrington and Fairview townships for mowing and brush cutting.

--- Route 182 between Days Mill/Croll School Road and Indian Rock Dam roads for mowing and brush cutting.

--- Route 516 between Route 116 in North Codorus Township and Jefferson Borough for shoulder cutting.

--- Green Valley Road in Codorus and North Codorus townships for shoulder cutting.

Elementary students can express their creativity through the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's annual aviation contest.

"The History of Flight" is the theme this year, according to PennDOT.

Entries will be judged in two divisions: first through third grades, and fourth and fifth grades.

There will be 22 statewide winners, with one winner from each division selected from each of PennDOT's 11 district offices.

Artwork should be submitted on 8.5-by-11-inch or 9-by-12-inch paper. The pieces should not be framed, matted, or laminated. All work must be done by hand -- with an exception for children with physical challenges.

Contest flyers are available at www.dot.state.pa.us. Click on the "Aviation and Rail Freight" link.

Entries must be postmarked by Oct. 16. Send entries to: Bureau of Aviation, c/o Eric Locke, 400 North Street, Harrisburg, PA 17120 or PO Box 3457, Harrisburg, PA 17120-0064.

You don't have to wait for the traffic reports on the radio or television anymore.

Now you can get the information by dialing 511 on your cellular phone or going to www.511PA.com on the computer, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

The service provides free, round-the-clock information on traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, regional tourism and links to transit agencies and major airports.

Users can register through the Web site to receive personalized traffic alerts, provided through email and text messaging.

The 511PA roadway network includes all 1,759 miles of interstate, including the Pennsylvania Turnpike, as well as other major roadways in Harrisburg, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

Traffic information for the majority of the network includes crashes, construction work and starting in November, winter road conditions.

Do you travel a lot? Are you going to give this a try?

Drivers might see a single-lane restriction on Route 15 this week as crews sweep the highway between the Adams and Cumberland county lines.

Also, Westminster Road in Penn Township remains closed for the installation of a box culvert.

Drivers might see single-lane restrictions on the following roads this week:

--- Rosstown Road between Route 382 and Route 74 in several municipalities
for paving.

--- Druck Valley Road between Mount Zion Road and North Sherman Street in Springettsbury Township for base repair/widening.

--- Days Mill Road in North Codorus and York townships for base repair/widening.

--- New Bridgeville Road between Route 624 and Burkholder Road in Lower Windsor and Chanceford townships for pipe flushing.

--- Accomac Road between Hauser School Road and Route 462 in Hellam Township for mowing and brush cutting.

--- Pinetown Road from Route 177 to Siddonsburg Road in Warrington and Fairview townships for mowing and brush cutting.

--- Starcross Road between Grantley Road and South George Street in York and Spring Garden townships for mowing and brush cutting.

--- Route 851 between Middletown Road and Forrest Avenue in numerous municipalities for shoulder cutting.