PennDOT Invites Public to Participate in Safety Citizens Program The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) invites Pennsylvanians to participate in its Safety Citizens program, which encourages community members to answer traffic safety questions in original and creative ways. Traffic safety topics are introduced bi-monthly posing a question for the public to answer. Participants can answer by submitting an original piece of artwork, such as a short video, a poem, or a drawing. Selected submissions are displayed on PennDOT’s statewide social media platforms including Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. The program was recently updated to include new topics for 2022 and the addition of links to coloring pages and kids’ activities to encourage young Pennsylvanians to participate. According to PennDOT data, in 2020 there were 1,129 fatalities on Pennsylvania roadways. Individuals, classes, families, clubs, or other groups are encouraged to participate in this safety initiative as a program challenge. The first topic for 2022 is Drowsy Driving. Participants are asked to submit a response to the question “What do you think are the best ways to avoid drowsy driving?” The kids’ challenge for the topic is to draw a picture of other ways to travel if someone is too tired to drive. Submissions are due by Monday, February 28. Upcoming topics will include bicycle and motorcycle safety, commercial vehicle safety, seat belt and child passenger safety and impaired driving. Safety is everyone’s responsibility. Being a Safety Citizen is being a leader by inspiring your family, friends, and community to practice safe behaviors on the road. Whether traveling by vehicle, motorcycle, bicycle or on foot, everyone has the opportunity to be safer on the road. Additional information on the program, including the details and guidelines for participation, can be found online at www.PennDOT.gov/SafetyCitizens or questions can be emailed to SafetyCitizens@pa.gov. Interested participants are encouraged to check the website frequently for updates about future topics.
PennDOT Reminds Pennsylvanians of the Availability of Convenient Online Services PennDOT reminds Pennsylvania residents that they have an abundance of convenient transaction choices they can take advantage of from the comfort of their own homes by utilizing online options to fulfill their driver licensing and motor vehicle needs. As with many services offered through commonwealth departments, through PennDOT’s website – www.dmv.pa.gov – customers may obtain a variety of driver and vehicle products and services, including all forms, publications and driver training materials. Driver and vehicle online services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and include non-commercial 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 driver exam scheduling. Additionally, customers may upload their emergency contact information, which gives law enforcement the ability to quickly reach someone who will speak for the individual if ever they cannot speak for themself. The information provided is stored in a secure database that is accessible only by law enforcement. There are no additional fees for using online services. “PennDOT is proud to provide our customers with comprehensive online services, like vehicle and driver’s license renewal, address changes, and much more,” said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “However, it’s important that customers ensure that they are on PennDOT’s official site before completing a transaction.” Third-party websites can appear “official,” and often pay search engines to appear at the top of search results for common terms, like “renew vehicle registration” or “driver’s license.” Many third-party sites charge additional fees for completing transactions – there are no additional service or convenience fees for completing online transactions on PennDOT’s website. There are a few simple tips to help customers ensure that they are visiting PennDOT’s official website: Rather than using a search engine to reach the PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services website, that you enter the web address (www.dmv.pa.gov) directly into your browser’s address bar.PennDOT does not charge any additional service or transaction fees for completing online transactions. If you are charged any additional fees, you aren’t on the PennDOT website.Look for the words “An Official Pennsylvania Government Website” in the top left corner. Many commonwealth websites display these words as an additional security measure. If a customer has concerns about a third-party website, customers can contact the PA Attorney General Bureau of Consumer Protection at 1-800-441-2555, or visit their website. Follow PennDOT on Twitter at www.twitter.com/PennDOTNews, or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PennsylvaniaDepartmentofTransportation
Wolf Administration Highlights Transportation Benefits of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for Pennsylvania Bridges At Columbia River Park along the Susquehanna River today, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Acting Deputy Secretary Mike Keiser, Acting District 8 Executive Chris Kufro, Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Recreation and Conservation Manager Lori Yeich, and local and regional officials highlighted benefits to Pennsylvania from the passage of the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), specifically for Pennsylvania’s bridges. “The passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is the largest federal infrastructure investment in decades, and the largest ever investment for bridges specifically,” said Acting Deputy Secretary for Highway Administration Mike Keiser. “PennDOT – along with our partners – are ready to put these dollars to good use in meaningful projects all over the state.” Pennsylvania is poised to receive an estimated $4 billion in new federal highway and bridge dollars over five years, including an estimated $1.6 billion from a new bridge program established by the BIL. Pennsylvania has one of the largest state-maintained highway and bridge networks in the nation, with nearly 40,000 miles of roadway and over 25,400 bridges maintained by PennDOT. That number grows to approximately 120,000 miles of roadway and 32,000 bridges when considering the state and local networks. Today’s event was held in the shadow of the historic Veterans Memorial Bridge, which carries Route 462 and BicyclePA Route S over the Susquehanna River between Columbia, Lancaster County, and Wrightsville, York County. The bridge was originally built in 1930, and is slated for significant rehabilitation in 2023. Additionally, there are parks on both the Columbia and Wrightsville sides of the bridge, and multimodal connections and improvements are also planned in coordination with DCNR and local partners. “One of the many benefits of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is the impact it will have on multimodal projects that connect people to parks and trails, as this rehabilitation project demonstrates,” said DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn. “We have seen millions of people turn to the outdoors during the pandemic, which is why we are pleased to see federal investments in projects that will help retain those new users.” In addition to the new highway and bridge funds, Pennsylvanians will benefit from new federal funds to support public transportation, airports, and freight and passenger rail. PennDOT and local governments can look forward to new and expanded competitive grant opportunities across all transportation modes. Additionally, new federal funds will be available to Pennsylvania to support the expansion of an electric vehicle (EV) charging network. For additional information about PennDOT’s work to keep Pennsylvanians connected to opportunity and each other, visit PennDOT’s website. Follow PennDOT on Twitter and like the department on Facebook and Instagram.
PennDOT Driver License, Photo Centers Closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day Holiday The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) today announced that all driver license and photo centers, including the Riverfront Office Center in Harrisburg, will be closed Saturday, January 15, through Monday, January 17, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Customers may still obtain a variety of driver and vehicle products and services, including all forms, publications and driver training manuals, online through PennDOT’s Driver and Vehicle Services website, 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 driver exam scheduling. There are no additional fees for using online services. A complete listing of PennDOT driver and photo license center closings in 2022 is available online.
Lane Restrictions on Interstate 84 Eastbound in Lackawanna County There will be lane restrictions on Interstate 84 EB today, January 6 in order to make bridge deck repairs from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Motorists can check conditions on major roadway miles by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information, and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras. 511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website. Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming counties at www.penndot.gov/District4. Information about infrastructure in District 4, including completed work and significant projects, is available at www.penndot.gov/D4Results. Follow local PennDOT news on Twitter and like the department on Facebook and Instagram.
Governor Wolf Announces 22 Municipalities to Improve Traffic Safety with Red Light Enforcement Funds Governor Tom Wolf announced that the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) will distribute approximately $12.9 million in Automated Red Light Enforcement (ARLE) funding to 22 municipalities statewide to fund 28 safety projects. Pennsylvania’s ARLE program aims to improve safety at signalized intersections by providing automated enforcement at locations where data shows red-light running has been an issue. “This program helps communities across the state make investments in safety and efficient traffic flow,” Governor Wolf said. “These improvements complement the many road, bridge, and multimodal projects happening in Pennsylvania.” Grant funding is supplied by fines from red light violations at 32 intersections in Philadelphia. State law specifies that projects improving safety, enhancing mobility, and reducing congestion can be considered for funding. Municipalities submitted 132 applications, totaling $48.3 million in requests. Projects were selected by an eight-member committee based on criteria such as safety benefits and effectiveness, cost, and local and regional impact. This investment brings the total dollars awarded through the ARLE funding program to $112.7 million, funding 501 transportation enhancement projects since 2010. The Lackawanna County project includes: Lackawanna County Blakely Borough: $123,210 to improve pedestrian safety on Depot Street at the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail mid-block crossing. Improvements will include ADA accessible ramps, flashing beacons to alert drivers and pedestrians/cyclists to slow down and be aware of conditions, signage to encourage sharing the road and a high visibility colored concrete crossing. For more information, visit PennDOT’s website, or email ARLE@pa.gov.
PennDOT Driver License, Photo Centers Closed for New Year’s Holiday PennDOT announced that all driver license and photo centers, including the Riverfront Office Center in Harrisburg, will be closed Saturday, January 1, 2022, in observance of the New Year’s holiday. Additionally, the Pittsburgh Driver License Centers and all services at the Riverfront Office Center in Harrisburg will be closed Friday, December 31, 2021. Customers may still obtain a variety of driver and vehicle products and services, including all forms, publications and driver training manuals, online through PennDOT’s Driver and Vehicle Services website, 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 driver exam scheduling. There are no additional fees for using online services. A complete listing of PennDOT driver and photo license center closings in 2021 is available online. Motorists can check conditions on major roadway miles by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information, and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras. 511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Continues Their Annual Holiday Wish Program Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) District 4 continued its annual Holiday Wish Program this year even during the COVID pandemic. Santa arrived on a PennDOT dump truck to bring gifts to 61 children from the Head Start Program in Lackawanna County. PennDOT employees also provided a gift to 47 people, including children and adults from the Domestic Violence Service Center in Luzerne County and three angels from the Lackawanna County Adopt an Angel Program. PennDOT has been running this program since 2010. The funds for the gifts come from the generosity of the PennDOT’s District 4 employees.
PennDOT Driver License, Photo Centers Closed for Christmas Holiday The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) today announced that all driver license and photo centers, including the Riverfront Office Center in Harrisburg, will be closed Saturday, December 25, in observance of the Christmas holiday. Additionally, the Pittsburgh Driver License Center and all services at the Riverfront Office Center in Harrisburg will be closed Friday, December 24. Customers may still obtain a variety of driver and vehicle products and services, including all forms, publications and driver training manuals, online through PennDOT’s Driver and Vehicle Services website, 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 driver exam scheduling. There are no additional fees for using online services. A complete listing of PennDOT driver and photo license center closings in 2021 is available online. Motorists can check conditions on major roadway miles by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information, and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras. 511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.
Wolf Administration Wraps Up 2021 Construction Season in Northeastern PA As 2021 nears its end, PennDOT Engineering District 4 is wrapping up another busy construction season in northeastern Pennsylvania. “The 2021 construction season presented us with some unexpected challenges, including two major tropical storms that created additional projects in all six counties,” said PennDOT District 4 Executive Richard Roman, P.E. “Our design, construction and maintenance teams came together to find innovative solutions, complete most projects ahead of schedule, and kept the importance of safety for the traveling public and our employees at the forefront at all times.” The six-county district, which includes Lackawanna, Luzerne, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming counties opened bids for 68 contracts totaling nearly $197 million in value. Of those contracts, 48 were for roadway work and 20 were for bridge work. Work was performed on 55 state-owned bridges by contractors. This included the replacement or rehabilitation of 47 bridges and preservation work on eight bridges to extend their life. Work was performed on 279 state-owned bridges PennDOT crews. The district has been able to stretch limited resources by using in-house capabilities to complete work. More than 205 miles of paving and 561 miles of seal coating (oil and chip) were completed by contractors and PennDOT crews in the district in 2021. In addition to programmed work, the district responded to challenges following the flooding and above-average precipitation that has impacted northeastern Pennsylvania in 2021. Flood damage for most sites occurs during the event itself, but in some cases embankment failures or landslides occur several months or even years later. While repairs for most of the damaged areas are complete or are currently under repair, the long-term impacts from the flooding will be felt for many years. Below is a list by county of the major projects that were under construction in the district in 2021. Some of the largest are multi-year projects that started prior to 2021. Lackawanna County: Interstate 84 over Lackawanna Railroad, Roaring Brook and Route 435, Dunmore Borough, bridge replacement and interchange reconfiguration. Construction will continue through 2026. $113.2 million;I-84, Roaring Brook Township, resurfacing of I-84 eastbound and westbound and bridge rehabilitation. Construction will continue through 2023. $18.9 million;Bridge rehabilitation on Route 407 over Lackawanna Lake, North Abington Township. Construction will continue through 2022. $1.9 million;Bridge preservation, various routes and municipalities. Construction will continue through 2022. $5.6 million;Bridge rehabilitation on Route 6006 over Racket Brook, City of Carbondale. Construction will be completed in 2021. $796,000;Emergency bridge repair on Route 690 over Bear Brook, Moscow Borough. Completed in 2021. $92,000;Resurfacing 12 roadway miles, various routes and municipalities. Construction will continue through 2022. $4.8 million;Route 1037, Dickson City Borough, Dundaff Street Flood Repairs. Construction was completed in 2021. $473,000;Bridge rehabilitation on Route 4005 over D&H Railroad, Benton Township. Construction will continue through 2022. $2.4 million;Milling and resurfacing on I-84 and ramps in Lackawanna and Wayne counties. Construction will be completed in 2022. $17.5 million;Guiderail project on I-80 and I -81 mile marker 143 to 160 complete in 2021. Planned for 2022 is mile marker 160 to 232 on I-81 and I-84. I-80 work is planned for 2023. $15.9 million;Keystone College Community Gateway Project. Completed in 2021. $826,000; andPaving on Route 1010 and Route 3018. Construction completed in 2021. ADA ramps have also been started on other state routes. Final paving in 2022 on Routes 247, 2026, 2028, 3033 and 6011. Construction will be completed in 2022. $4.2 million. Luzerne County: Culvert replacement on Route 239 in Huntington Township. Construction completed in the summer of 2021. $420,000;Culvert replacement on Route 118 in Lehman Township. Construction will be completed in 2021. $1.1 million;Culvert conversion on Route 315 in the Borough of Laflin. Construction will be completed in 2021. $140,000;Multiple bridge preservations on Route 309 in Kingston, Hanover, and Foster townships, Bridges in the project were Route 309 Section P15 over Toby Creek, Route 309 Section P16 over Toby Creek, Route 309 Section P14 over Pine Run, and Route 2044 Section P18 over Pond Creek. Construction will be completed in 2021. $1.3 million;Bridge rehabilitation on Route 2010 over Route 29 in Hanover Township. Completed in 2021. $4.2 million;Bridge rehabilitation on Route 11 over Norfolk Southern, Reading, Northern, and Blue Mountain Railroad, and Mill Creek in the Borough of Dupont. Construction will be completed in 2022. $1.9 million;Roadway extension on Route 424 in Hazle Township. Construction will be completed in 2024. $17 million;Surface treatment project in various municipalities and including Route 18, Route 1013, Route 1015, Route 1029, Route 2025, Route 2027, Route 2028, Route 2020, Route 2035, and Route 3030. Construction will be completed in 2022. $6.5 million;Resurfacing project in various municipalities and including Route 315, Route 1014, Route 1019, Route 2013, Route 2022, and Route 3021. Construction will be completed in 2022. $4.7 million;Safety improvement project on Route 309 in Wilkes-Barre Township. Construction will be completed in 2022. $1.3 million;Resurfacing on Route 315 in the Borough of Laflin, Plains Township, and Jenkins Township. Construction will be completed in 2022. $1.9 million;Resurfacing in various municipalities on Routes 11, 2019, 309, 92, and 2045. Construction will be completed in 2022. $9.3 million;Bridge preservation on I-81 in Hanover Township, Wilkes-Barre Township, and the Borough of Ashley. Construction will be completed in 2023. $7.3 million;Route 2036 in Bear Creek Township, Roadway Emergency Flood Project from Hurricane Henri. Construction was completed in October 2021. $369,000;Route 2039 in Plains Township, Roadway Emergency Flood Project from Hurricane Ida. Construction was completed in October 2021. $194,856;Route 239 in Nescopeck Township, Roadway Emergency Flood Project from Hurricane Ida. Construction was completed in October 2021. $55,000;Route 2035 in Bear Creek Township, Roadway Emergency Flood Project from Hurricane Ida. Construction was completed in October 2021. $246,147;Route 2020 in the City of Wilkes-Barre, Bridge Emergency Flood Project from Hurricane Ida. Construction will be completed in 2022. $415,510;Route 2036 in Bear Creek Township, Roadway Emergency Flood Project from Hurricane Ida. Construction will be completed by the end of 2021. $448,003; andRoute 437 in Wright Township, Roadway Emergency Flood Project from Hurricane Ida. Construction will be completed in the spring of 2022. $213,670.40. Pike County Culvert rehabilitation on Route 507 in Palmyra Township. Construction will be completed in 2021. $843,062;Milford-Bushkill roadway reconstruction including realignment and shoulder/lane widening on Route 2021 in Lehman Township. Construction will be completed in 2021. $30 million; Reconstruction, resurfacing and rehabilitation and culvert conversion on Route 6 between Boroughs of Milford and Matamoras. Construction will be completed in 2021. $5.1 million;Slope repair on Route 2002 in Delaware Township. Construction will be completed in 2022. $547,000;High friction surface treatment safety improvements on Route 6, Route 507 and Route 2021. Construction will be completed in 2021. $397,000;Resurfacing on Route 590 in Blooming Grove Township. Construction will be completed in 2021. $926,000;Cleaning and washing various bridge structures located within PennDOT District 4. Project will be completed in 2021. $623,000;Paving on Route 739 in Delaware Township. Construction will be completed in 2021. $2 million;Route 6 in Lackawaxen Township, Roadway Emergency Flood Project from Hurricane Ida. Construction completed in 2021. $69,426;Route 1012 and Route 1014, Shohola Township and Lackawaxen Township, Roadway Emergency Flood Projects from Hurricane Ida. Construction completed in 2021. $149,000; andRoute 2009 in Dingman Township, Roadway Emergency Flood Project from Hurricane Ida. Construction will be completed in 2021. $23,000. Susquehanna County Lanesboro Streetscape Project. Completed in September 2021. $620,000;Bridge rehabilitation on Route 11, Route 29 and Route 1011. Completed in July 2021. $3 million;Rehabilitation of Route 11 bridge over railroad in Great Bend and emergency deck repair on Route 4008. Completed in September 2021. $820,000;I-81 in Great Bend to New Milford from mile marker 223 to 232. Construction will be completed in 2021. $3.5 million;Local bridge replacement on Carmalt Road in Choconut Township. Construction will be completed in 2021. $1.1 million;Replacement of three box culverts and intersection realignment at Route 267/Route 706 intersection in Rush Township. Realignment completed in September 2021. Box culverts will be replaced in 2022. Construction will be completed in 2022. $4.3 million;Bridge replacement with box culvert on Route 1033 in Great Bend. Construction will be completed in 2021. $1 million;Bridge replacement on Route 1010 in Oakland Township. Construction will be completed in 2021. $1.9 million;Emergency slide repair on Route 11 in Great Bend. Completed in March 2021. 280,000;Bridge replacements on Route 3029 in Jessup Township. Construction will be completed in 2023. $2.1 million;Base repair on multiple state routes in Susquehanna and Wyoming counties. Construction will be completed in 2022. $3.6 million;Base repair on multiple state routes in Susquehanna, Wyoming and Pike counties. Work in Susquehanna County planned to begin in 2021, with Wyoming and Pike in 2022. Construction will be completed in 2022. $2.1 million;Slide repair on Route 1009 in Harmony Township. Construction will be completed in 2022. $585,000; andPaving on Routes 11, 858 and 1031 in Susquehanna County and Route 87 in Wyoming County. Construction will be completed in September 2022. $4 million. Wayne County Surface treatment on Route 6, Route 196 and Route 296 in Wayne County and Route 92 in Wyoming County. Construction will be completed in 2021. $2.3 million;Pavement base repairs on Route 191, Route 247, Route 371, Route 652, Route 670, Route 11, Route 1014, Route 3028, Route 2048, Route 2049, Route 4021, Route 4023, Route 4025 and Route 4031 in various municipalities in Wayne County. Construction will be completed in 2021. $2.4 million;Bridge preservation on Route 507 in Dreher Township, SR 4003 in Dyberry Township and SR 3003 in Eaton Township, Wyoming County. Construction will be completed in 2022. $915,000;Resurfacing on Route 191 in various municipalities. Project was completed in 2021. $4.5 million;Paving on SR 6, SR 652 and SR 4005 in various municipalities. Construction will be completed in 2022. $4.4 million;Route 3017 in Salem Township, Roadway Emergency Flood Project. Construction will be completed in 2022. $208,000;Bridge preservation on I-84, Route 196, Route 670, Route 11 and Route 3028 in various municipalities. Construction will be completed in 2021. $843,000;Resurfacing on Route 11 and Route 2013 in Dyberry Township. Construction will be completed in 2021. $1.5 million; andPavement Base repair on various SRs in Wayne County. Construction completed 2021. 3.5 million. Wyoming County Rehabilitation of three structures on Route 1027, Route 292 and Route 2031. Completed in May 2021. $2.4 million;Bridge rehabilitation on Route 29 and Route 87 over the Susquehanna River and Route 4002. Construction was completed in April 2021. $430,000;Stone laid arch rehabilitation on Route 92 in Falls Township. Construction will be completed in 2022. $1.6 million; andSlide repair on Route 87 at Sullivan County Line. Construction will be completed in 2022. $2.6 million. Motorists can check conditions on major roadway miles by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information, and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras. 511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts. Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming counties at www.penndot.gov/District4. Find PennDOT’s planned and active construction projects at www.projects.penndot.gov. Information about infrastructure in District 4, including completed work and significant projects, is available at www.penndot.gov/D4Results. Follow local PennDOT news on Twitter and like the department on Facebook and Instagram.
