October 2009 Archives

It turns out that the state Attorney General is investigating the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, according to news reports.

The news came out today from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and other media outlets. A statewide grand jury is looking into patronage and possible "pay-to-play" contracts, the Tribune-Review is reporting on its Web site. You can read that story here.

And here's what the Associated Press is reporting today:

Pa. Turnpike says AG has subpoenaed its documents

By MARC LEVY and MARK SCOLFORO
Associated Press Writers

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission said Friday it was cooperating with a demand for documents by state prosecutors, but the subject of the investigation was not clear.

Turnpike spokesman Bill Capone said records had not yet been turned over.

"We can't provide you with any other details of when it came, or what it's about or anything like that," he said.

Kevin Harley, a spokesman for Attorney General Tom Corbett, declined comment.

Turnpike officials called the governor's office Friday to disclose the receipt of a subpoena, and aides informed Gov. Ed Rendell.

"I talked to the governor," he said, 'Well, certainly they need to comply and cooperate fully with the investigation,'" said Steve Crawford, Rendell's chief of staff.

The existence of the subpoena was first reported Friday by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Capone said he "did not know anything official" about reports that a grand jury was examining possible corruption at the agency, which has been criticized as a patronage haven.

In September, The Morning Call of Allentown reported that a former turnpike employee, speaking on condition of anonymity, said he had been questioned by a grand jury about patronage, campaign donations and contracts.

Turnpike chief executive Joe Brimmeier declined to discuss the investigation.

"I am not commenting on anything regarding any of those things until everything is sorted out," he said.

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.

A web site called TOLLROADSnews posted Tuesday that the FBI is investigating the Pennsylvania Turnpike, saying that officers confiscated equipment and records from the Harrisburg office as part of a criminal investigation.

The Turnpike Commission denied that report to the Pittsburgh Post Gazette Wednesday.

"It never happened. The FBI did not visit any turnpike offices or confiscate any equipment belonging to the turnpike," Turnpike CEO Joe Brimmeier told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "(Toll Roads News) has a long history of sloppy or inaccurate reporting that reflects their efforts to malign the Pennsylvania Turnpike and its over 2,200 employees. Today they crossed the line between sloppy and reckless. The posting is false."

The FBI also said it never happened, according to the Allentown Morning Call.

John L. Micek, state house reporter for The (Allentown) Morning Call, reported on his blog later Wednesday that commission spokesman Bill Capone said the FBI is investigating what's going on with a Valley Forge widening project.

The commission then asked the FBI to come in and investigate after its own Office of Inspector General determined that the matter was too big for it to handle, Micek reported.

You can read more about it here.

If you're planning to use the subway, bus or trolley service in Philadelphia during the World Series, you'll want to be aware that Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority employees could go on strike by the end of the week.

Click here to see the latest story from the Philadelphia Business Journal.

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.

Fall is such a beautiful time of the year.

The leaves change colors. The air is crisp. And I enjoy seeing homes decorated for the season.

Roni King-Zentz decorates her home in Stewartstown for every holiday. "I love to do it," she said.

Her house is pictured here to the right.

I also snapped pictures of two homes in the City of York. They're below.

Have you seen a home decorated for the holidays that you really like? Take a picture and share them here!

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.

You can get a free bus ride to a flu clinic at the York Expo Center on Sunday, Oct. 18.

The flu shots are being offered to anyone 9 years old and older. The service is free to those who are enrolled in Medicare Part B and most Medicare Advantage plans.

For those who are not eligible under insurance, the fee is $25 for a flu shot and $46 for a pneumonia shot.

All you have to do is get on one of the Rabbittransit buses at the following pickup locations and times:

-- Hudson Park, 401 Ridge Ave. No.1. (10 a.m.; 11:25 a.m. and 12:50 p.m.)

-- Transfer Center, Pershing and King streets (10:15 a.m., 11:40 a.m., 1:05 p.m.)

-- Kingston House, 1243 W. King St. (10:25 a.m., 11:50 a.m., 1:15 p.m.)

-- Delco Plaza, 1201 Carlisle Ave. (10:35 a.m., noon, 1:25 p.m.)

You won't even have to get off the bus to get the shot, said Richard Farr, executive director of Rabbittransit. Workers will board the bus to administer the vaccines.

Rabbittransit has partnered with the York County Area Agency on Aging to provide the free transportation.

"We want York County to be healthy," Farr said.

For more information, go here.

I attended an open house and took a tour of the 911 center earlier this month. Eleni Garrett, dispatcher No. 17, explained how the job works and that some of the calls are extremely difficult. They have to be OK, too, with usually not finding out how a call ended.

She offered a good tip, too, when traveling: Always know where you are, including the last exit you passed or any significant markers or buildings in the area.

York County 911 recently received a call from a guy who struck a deer with his vehicle on Route 30, and he didn't think it was safe to drive his car. The dispatcher asked the driver where he was on Route 30. The caller didn't know. The dispatcher asked what was the last exit number he passed. He didn't know.

He wasn't paying attention.

And Route 30 is a long stretch of road.

So the driver had to walk half a mile to the closest exit to let the dispatcher know his location.

"I can't send police to the middle of nowhere," Garrett 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.

The buses parked at the West Manchester Mall made me do a double-take as I left work one night recently.

And they'll be parked there for a couple more weeks as Rabbittransit's parking lot is upgraded.

The transit agency is using $350,000 in federal stimulus funds for the work.

Rabbittransit has been at its location on Roosevelt Avenue for 17 years now, and the blacktop was disintigrating, executive director Richard Farr said.

The upgraded parking lot will include an oil and water separator as the agency continues to go green.

The transit agency hasn't received any calls about the buses being parked at the mall, but people have been talking about it with Rabbittransit employees.

"It's a little strange - not something you see every day," Farr said.

If you're planning a trip to the Gettysburg battlefield next week, you should be aware that West Confederate Avenue will be closed from 3 p.m. to 6 a.m. on October 14, 15 and 16.

The temporary closure affects the portion of road from Route 116 (Middle Street/Fairfield Road) to Pumping Station/Millerstown roads, according to a news release.

The work is part of a $3.4 million road project on the Gettysburg battlefield funded through the Federal Lands Highway Program.

Rabbittransit executive director Richard Farr has been named to "Mass Transit's" Top 40 Under 40, an award honoring those in transit under 40 who have already left their mark.

The listing appears in the magazine's September/October issue. It's not a ranking, but a listing of those who have shown a capacity for innovation, demonstrated leadership and a commitment to making an impact in transit, according to a news release.

Farr has been at the helm of the York County Transportation Authority, otherwise known as Rabbittransit since 2003. He's credited with accomplishing many initiatives, including the launch of the first fixed-route system in historic Gettysburg.

You can read more about it here.

The state recently submitted applications for $3.1 billion in stimulus funds to make high-speed rail improvements, according to a news release.

One of the applications is for the Keystone Corridor East from Harrisburg to Philadelphia. It would include construction of four separate projects, including adding a third express track between Atglen and Paoli.

The improvements would help to increase the train speed to a maximum of 125 miles per hour, reducing trip times.

For more information, go here.

In case you missed it, Jim Clark of York Township drove a van in Barack Obama's presidential motorcade during the G-20 summit in Pittsburgh. You can read more about it here.

The chauffeurs received a long list of guidelines -- including some obvious ones -- and I thought I'd share some of them with you:

-- Please make sure the vehicle you are driving has a full tank of gas.

-- Please keep a comfortable temperature in the vehicle for your passengers. Unless requested, please keep the radio off. Do not talk on your cell phone while driving.

-- Keep a safe and comfortable distance between your vehicle and the one in front of you.

-- If police motorcycle escorts are being used, it is very important to follow as straight as possible the car in front of you in a single-file formation. This will cut down on snaking and swerving of the motorcade. In addition, be aware of the motorcycles while turning.

-- Please do not bring guests or pets.

-- In today's world of social networking, we ask that you do not twitter, facebook, myspace, blog or use any other informational service during the trip. It's OK to post photos or accounts of your experiences after the trip is over.