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January 8, 2010
Senator John Pippy E-News
PA Department of Health Announces Free H1N1 Vaccine Clinics for all
Pennsylvanians
The Pennsylvania Department of Health will offer H1N1 flu vaccine to any
Pennsylvania residents, free of charge, at a number of clinics over the next two
days. The clinics will be held at the locations noted below from 8:00 am to
4:00pm on Friday, January 08 and Saturday, January 9, 2010.
You must schedule an appointment prior to the clinic. Appointments can be
made 24 hours a day by clicking on the "What’s Hot" link at
www.H1N1inPA.com –or– by
calling 1-877-PA HEALTH (1-877-724-3258) from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Phone lines
are limited.
The H1N1 Vaccine will be available at 33 sites across the state; however,
only those closest to the 37th Senatorial district have been listed below:
Butler County: Butler Auto Auction – Cranberry Township, PA
Fayette County: Joseph A. Hardy Connellsville Airport – Lemont Furnace, PA
Washington County: Washington County Agricultural Fairgrounds – Washington,
PA
Westmoreland County: The Event Center at Westmoreland Mall – Greensburg, PA
Local health departments may also be hosting clinics in certain areas of the
commonwealth. To find clinics provided by the Allegheny County Health
Department, please click on the following link:
Allegheny County Health Department -
http://www.achd.net/
PA Slides into Snowmobiling Season
December snowfall is enticing the snowmobiling community to
get out and enjoy Penn’s Woods, according to the
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Snowmobile riders in Pennsylvania’s
state forests and parks have access to 3,140 miles of marked joint-use state
forest roads, closed roads, and trails in 18 of the state’s 20 state forest
districts, which include 243 trail miles and 93 road miles available in 34 state
parks.
Take a few moments to review the
PA Snowmobile and ATV Guide to ensure compliance with PA laws regulating the
operation, registration, titling, and insuring of snowmobiles and ATVs. Find
related safety tips and training information. For additional details on
registration, call toll-free 1-866-545-2476.
DCNR is providing condition updates on its toll-free,
snowmobile hot line at 1-877-SNOMBLE (1-877-766-6253). DCNR also provides
weather and condition reports online for state parks and forests.
Time to Apply for 2010 Dog Licenses
Dog owners are reminded the deadline for licensing "man’s
best friend" is January 1, according to the PA Department of Agriculture’s
Bureau of Dog Law.
All dogs three months or older must be licensed in
accordance with
state law. The $8 fee for an annual license is only $6 for a spayed or
neutered dog while the $51 lifetime license fee is dropped to $31 for sterilized
canines.
Licensing fees support the Bureau’s mission of protecting
the health, safety, and welfare of dogs. During 2009, more than 930,000 dogs
sported licenses that frequently assist in returning a lost animal to its
family.
Complete the
license application and return it to the office of your
County Treasurer to obtain your dog’s license tag.
2010 PA Farm Show Arrives
Billed as the largest indoor agricultural event in the
country, the
2010 Pennsylvania Farm Show will kick off with a 2-hour
"PA Preferred" Reception on Friday, January 8 at the Pennsylvania Farm Show
Complex & Expo Center on
North Cameron Street in Harrisburg.
More than 400,000 people are expected to visit the 94th
Farm Show from January 9-16. Visitors will have the chance to see nearly 6,000
animals, 10,000 competitive exhibits, and 270 commercial exhibitors. Exhibitors
can hope to tap into more than $561,000 in prize money. Look for the best in
youth livestock shows, cooking demonstrations, educational displays, celebrity
contests, and much more. See
"Just for Kids" activities at special learning stations.
Visitors will find the
Farm Show Food Court located in the
Expo Hall and Main Hall of the Complex filled with everything from apple
cider and beehive products to grilled portabella mushrooms and deep-fried
mozzarella sticks to pork barbeque sandwiches and homemade vegetable soup.
Consult
the daily schedule to ensure you don’t miss your favorite events. If you
are considering staying overnight in the Harrisburg area, consult the Farm Show
website’s
Lodging, Restaurants, and Attractions page.
PENNDOT NEWS AND TRAFFIC ALERTS
PennDOT: Motorists Should Clear Vehicles of Snow,
Ice Before Traveling; Use Headlights Whenever Wipers are On
Harrisburg – With more snow forecast for many parts
of Pennsylvania, PennDOT today reminded motorists that they are required by law
to clear their vehicles’ windows of ice and snow before driving.
"Clearing your vehicle of ice and snow before you get on
the road isn’t just common sense, it’s the law," said PennDOT Deputy Secretary
for Highway Administration Scott Christie, P.E. "Driving without full visibility
is extremely dangerous, and ice or snow that falls from your vehicle can pose a
serious threat to others on the road."
Under law, if snow or ice is dislodged or falls from a
moving vehicle and strikes another vehicle or pedestrian causing death or
serious bodily injury, the operator of the source vehicle is subject to a fine
of $200 to $1,000 for each offense.
Police may cite motorists for not clearing their vehicles’
windows, and the citation carries a fine of $25 plus associated costs.
Additionally, state law requires that headlights be turned
on whenever windshield wipers are on. When driving in times of limited
visibility, motorists should keep their lights on the low beams, especially
during heavy snowfall.
"We want every motorist to get home safely," Christie said.
"If motorists absolutely must travel when the weather is bad, we ask that they
keep these laws in mind and drive according to conditions."
Motorists should remember that interstates and other
high-volume expressways are treated first during winter storms. Secondary state
routes are a lower priority and during severe winter storms, deeper
accumulations will occur on these roadways.
Because weather and road conditions can worsen abruptly
during the winter, motorists should always check the forecast before traveling.
Road conditions for interstates and some limited-access highways are available
by calling 511 from home or while stopped in a safe location, or by visiting
www.511pa.com.
Statewide, PennDOT is responsible for clearing 96,000 snow
lane miles – enough to circle the globe nearly four times. For more winter
driving tips and information on how PennDOT treats winter storms, visit
www.dot.state.pa.us/winter.
West End Traffic Restrictions Continue Next Week
Pittsburgh – PennDOT District 11 is advising
motorists closures and lane restrictions will occur on several roadways next
week in the area of the West End in the City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County,
next week, Jan. 11-15.
The following restrictions will occur:
Steuben Street
- Changing traffic patterns and shifts will occur on
Steuben Street between the West End Bridge intersection and the South Main
Street Connector Bridge from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 11. Crews will
be installing new traffic signals.
West Carson Street
- Inbound (eastbound) West Carson Street (Route 837)
will be closed from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 11, under the West End
Bridge.
- West Carson Street (Route 837) will be closed in both
directions from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, Jan 12-15, under the West
End Bridge.
- The temporary closures are necessary for public safety
and access as crews install new lighting and signal conduits above West
Carson Street. Barrier will also be installed. Signs will be posted to guide
motorists. Traffic will be detoured using the West End Circle.
Route 60
- Southbound Route 60 will be closed between the Steuben
Street Connector Bridge and the West End Bridge/West Carson Street from 10
p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 14, to 6 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 15. The temporary
closure is necessary for public safety as crews install a new overhead sign
structure. Signs will be posted to guide motorists.
Posted Detour:
- From Route 60, turn onto Wabash Street
- Follow Wabash Street to Woodville Avenue
- Make left onto Woodville Avenue
- Take ramps to outbound (westbound) Parkway West
(I-376)/Banksville Road
- Follow to Banksville Road and bear left to enter
inbound (eastbound) Parkway West
- Take ramps to northbound Route 51/19 Saw Mill Run
Boulevard
- Follow Route 51/19 Saw Mill Run Boulevard back to
West End
The work is part of the $52.6 million West End Improvement
Project located at the south end of the West End Bridge, known locally as the
West End Circle. The project includes the re-alignment and reconstruction of the
West End Circle, replacement of two bridges, widening of Route 19, lengthening
acceleration and deceleration lanes, construction of three retaining walls and
new drainage, guide rail, landscaping, highway lighting, traffic signals,
signing, pavement markings, ITS components, and other improvements. Construction
will conclude in summer 2010. The prime contractor for the project is the
Trumbull Corporation, of West Mifflin, PA.
PennDOT reminds motorists they can log on to
511pa.com or call 511 from any phone to check traffic conditions on major
roadways before traveling.
Route 3051 Kelso Road Bridge Project Public Presentation
Jan. 12
Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 will be
presenting proposed plans to replace the bridge that carries Route 3051 Kelso
Road over Route 22 in North Fayette Township, Allegheny County, on Tuesday, Jan.
12. The presentation will be given as part of the bi-monthly supervisors
meeting.
What: Public presentation
for the Route 3051 Kelso Road Bridge Replacement Project
Where: North Fayette
Township Building, 400 North Branch Road, Oakdale, PA 15071
When: Tuesday, Jan. 12,
7:30 p.m.
Who: The meeting is open to
everyone
The proposed project includes replacing the existing bridge
with a new two-span structure that will provide additional clearance over Route
22. The existing bridge, rated structurally deficient, was built in 1966.
Construction is anticipated to begin later this year and be completed in 2011.
About 1,538 vehicles use the bridge on an average day.
Parkway East and I-79 Guide Rail Repairs Occur Saturday
Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is advising
motorists that intermittent, short-term single lane and shoulder closures will
occur in various locations on I-79 and the inbound (westbound) Parkway
East/Central (I-376) on Saturday, Jan. 9, in Allegheny County, weather
permitting.
The brief lane closures and restrictions are necessary as
contractor crews conduct guide rail repairs. All exits and ramps will remain
open. Work and restrictions will occur between 7 a.m. to noon on Saturday at the
following locations:
Inbound (westbound) Parkway East/Central
- Right lane closure at two locations between the
Squirrel Hill Tunnel and the Bates Street/Glenwood/Oakland Exit 73 (Old Exit
3)
I-79
- Northbound right lane closure between the Parkway West
(Exit 59) and the Crafton (Exit 60) interchanges
- Northbound left lane closure at two locations
approaching the I-279 interchange (Exit 72)
- Northbound right lane closure between the Warrendale
(Exit 75) and Wexford (Exit 73) interchanges
- Southbound right lane closure between Mt. Nebo Road
(Exit 68) and Emsworth Sewickley (Exit 66)
The prime contractor for the repairs is Penn Line Services,
Inc. PennDOT advises motorists to use caution and slow down when traveling
through the area. Work zone safety is everyone’s responsibility.
INFORMATION PROVIDED BY:
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
Engineering District 11
Dan Cessna, District Engineer
45 Thoms Run Road
Bridgeville, PA 15017
Jim Struzzi, Press Officer
(412) 429-5010
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