WOLF ADMINISTRATION PREVIEWS 2018 SOUTHEAST REGION CONSTRUCTION SEASON, HIGHLIGHTS 150 PROJECTS

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Philadelphia, PA – Governor Tom Wolf and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Secretary Leslie S. Richards today highlighted transportation investments as PennDOT announced that roughly 155 highway and bridge projects are anticipated to begin or continue across the five-county Philadelphia region during this construction season.

Richards also urged motorists to drive cautiously in work zones – for their safety and that of workers – in observance of National Work Zone Awareness Week running April 9-13.

“We’re improving mobility and economies across the state and I look forward to continuing these important investments in 2018,” Governor Wolf said.

Complementing the significant projects in the southeast region, Governor Wolf recently reinforced the administration’s commitment to rural roads with new plans to improve more than 1,100 rural and low-volume roadway miles and rehabilitate or replace at least 85 municipally owned bridges over five years.

Today’s announcement was made near the Interstate 95 Girard Avenue/Aramingo Avenue Interchange project in Philadelphia where PennDOT has invested more than $500 million to
rebuild and improve 1.5 miles of the interstate between the Girard Avenue and Allegheny Avenue interchanges.

“The work that we and our municipal and private-sector partners are doing for Pennsylvanians is important for communities and businesses,” Richards said. “Motorists should use caution in work zones so we can get home each day after completing this critical work.”

Across PennDOT Engineering District 6, spanning Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties, the department anticipates rehabilitating, reconstructing and resurfacing more than 277 miles of state highways and improving 41 bridges.

“The aggressive approach we take with our construction program in this region allows us to significantly reduce the backlog of our pavement and bridge demands, and move critical projects forward to improve, strengthen and secure our vast transportation network,” District 6 Executive Kenneth M. McClain said.

Notable projects that will continue this year include:

• Interstate 95 pavement restoration in Bucks County ($29.6 million);
• U.S. 202 Bridges over Amtrak in Chester County ($26.4 million);
• U.S. 322 widening in Delaware County ($62.7 million);
• U.S. 422 Bridges in Montgomery County ($97.4 million); and
• I-95 Betsy Ross Bridge/Aramingo Interchange improvement in Philadelphia ($81 million).

Notable projects that are expected to be begin this year include:

• U.S. 1 reconstruction in Bucks County ($90 million estimate);
• U.S. 30 ITS enhancement in Chester County ($7 million estimate);
• Route 252 bridge replacement over Crum Creek in Delaware County ($16 million estimate);
• U.S. 202 widening and intersection improvements in Montgomery County ($58 million estimate); and
• I-95 South Reconstruction between Allegheny Avenue and Columbia Avenue in Philadelphia ($311.5 million).

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. Preliminary statewide PennDOT data shows that 19 people were killed in work-zone crashes in 2017, three more than in 2016. Additionally, there were 1,789 crashes in work zones last year, a decrease from 2,077 crashes in 2016. Over the last five years, there was a statewide average of 1,901 crashes and nearly 20 fatalities in work zones.

In addition to the crash data from police reports, PennDOT monitors work-zone safety with internal reports. In 2017, there were 95 intrusions in PennDOT work zones. Of those work-zone intrusions, 18 resulted in injures to PennDOT employees, 53 caused damage to PennDOT fleet or equipment, and 35 did not result in injury or damage.

As of March 9, there have been seven instances of vehicles intruding into work zones in 2018. One resulted in employee injury, four caused damage to vehicles or equipment, and two did not result in injury or damage. Since 1970, 88 PennDOT employees have lost their lives in the line of duty, the latest being Robert Gensimore, a Blair County foreman who was struck on February 17 while placing flares to warn motorists of a crash.