Senator John Pippy E-News
Senate News in Review

LEGISLATION CRACKING DOWN ON HIT-AND-RUN DRIVERS Senate Bill 1177 Increasing the minimum prison time to two years if someone flees a deadly accident, and to one year in the case of serious injury. Sponsored by Senate Transportation Committee Chairman John Rafferty (Montgomery) Senate Bill 1049 Increasing penalties for hit-and run for drivers who are driving while under the influence.  Several hearing testifiers said that drivers who are intoxicated have an incentive under current laws to flee the scene, hoping they won't get caught before their bodies metabolize the alcohol or drugs. Sponsored by Senator Don White (Indiana) Senate Bill 522 Increasing from one to five years in prison the mandatory-minimum sentence for someone who flees the scene of a fatal accident. If the victim suffers serious injury, the bill would raise the mandatory-minimum sentence from 90 days to two years. Sponsored by Senator Michael Stack (Philadelphia)

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PennDOT Traffic Alert

PennDOT Encourages Groups, Individuals to Help Beautify Pennsylvania
‘Pick It Up PA Days’ to Run April 17 - May 1 

Harrisburg – The Department of Transportation is encouraging Pennsylvanians to help beautify the state by participating in "Pick It Up PA Days" from April 17 through May 1.

”I invite all Pennsylvanians to join the thousands of volunteers who generously give of their time to beautify Pennsylvania each year,” said PennDOT Secretary Allen D. Biehler, P.E. “The people who participate in the Adopt-A-Highway program and these cleanup events are performing a very valuable – and appreciated – community service.”

A listing of cleanup events, resources for organizing a cleanup, and other information about the effort is available online at www.gacofpa.org. Groups interested in adopting a section of highway are encouraged to contact their local PennDOT county maintenance office and ask for the Adopt-A-Highway coordinator, or visit www.dot.state.pa.us. 

The Pick It Up PA Days, timed to coincide with Earth Day on April 22, are a featured event of the Great American Cleanup of Pennsylvania, a statewide effort to remove litter and trash from the state's roadways, parks, riverbanks and open spaces. The entire effort runs through May 31.

PennDOT encourages its Adopt-A-Highway volunteers to do one of their four required cleanups on a Pick It Up PA Day. The 7,156 groups in the Adopt-A-Highway program have two-year agreements and have adopted 16,562 roadway miles.

In addition, PennDOT encourages individuals and groups to sign up for the Earth Day 40 Challenge, an initiative shared among state departments of Education, Environmental Protection, and Conservation and Natural Resources. Those interested can learn about the initiative at www.iconservepa.org/earthday40, and also register their participation beginning April 19.

Over the past three years, the Great American Cleanup of Pennsylvania has yielded more than 24.8 million pounds of collected trash, involved 486,620 volunteers and resulted in 48,545 miles of highways cleaned. As part of those efforts, 273,430 Adopt-A-Highway volunteers collected more than 11.3 million pounds of litter on 30,293 miles of highway in that same period.

Last year alone, more than 171,940 volunteers statewide joined in the cleanup and gathered more than 6.8 million pounds of trash and other debris from 16,498 miles of roadways, trails, waterways and shorelines. PennDOT's Adopt-A-Highway program participants alone accounted for 3.5 million pounds of trash from 10,375 miles of state-maintained roads as 100,337 volunteers conducted spring cleaning on their adopted sections.

PennDOT provides gloves and safety vests for Adopt-A-Highway and Great American Cleanup of Pennsylvania groups. The department typically spends approximately $11 million annually for litter pickup with department staff.

Inbound Parkway West Single Lane Closure Saturday Morning in Robinson

PITTSBURGH – PennDOT District 11 is advising motorists a single lane closure will occur on the inbound (eastbound) Parkway West (I-376) in Robinson Township, Allegheny County, on Saturday, March 20.

The far right lane will be closed from 6 a.m. to noon Saturday under the bridge that carries Steubenville Pike over inbound Parkway West before the off-ramp to Route 60 (Crafton Exit 60B). The ramp will remain open. Crews will be installing protective shielding under the bridge for overhead deck repairs set to occur later this construction season. Note: Because most of the restriction Saturday will occur on the lane from the closed Steubenville Pike on-ramp to the inbound Parkway West, traffic impacts should be minimal.   

The work is part of the $13.7 million project that will improve safety and mobility at the busy intersection of Route 22/30/60 with the Parkway West in Robinson and North Fayette Townships. The project will reconfigure the existing interchange to improve weaving movements and provide for increased safety and efficiency. Work also includes reconstruction and resurfacing, bridge improvements, wall construction, drainage improvements, guide rail, curbing, highway lighting, signing and other upgrades. Construction will conclude in late 2010. Gulisek Construction LLC of Mt. Pleasant is the prime contractor for the project.

Motorists are advised to use caution, slow down, and be prepared for changing traffic patterns when traveling through the area. PennDOT also reminds motorists they can log on to 511pa.com or call 511 from any phone to check traffic conditions and cameras on major roadways before traveling. 

CLICK HERE FOR GOOGLE MAP OF GENERAL AREA 

Route 65 Crossover and Ramp Closures Begin Monday in Glenfield Borough

Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is advising motorists crossover traffic patterns on Route 65 (Ohio River Boulevard) and several ramp closures in the area of the I-79 Interchange in Glenfield Borough, Allegheny County, will begin on Monday, March 22, weather permitting.

All ramps connecting to southbound Route 65 at the I-79 interchange will be closed to facilitate the crossover. In addition, two on-and-off ramps that access the left lane on northbound Route 65 will be used for southbound traffic.

The following restrictions will occur on Route 65 beginning at 7 a.m. on Monday:

Route 65 Crossover

• Traffic on Route 65 will be reduced to a single lane in both directions. Southbound traffic will be crossed over onto the northbound lane between Toms Run Road (Route 4080) and River Road.

Southbound Route 65 Ramp Closures (traffic will be detoured)

• Southbound Route 65 to southbound I-79
• Northbound I-79 off-ramp to southbound Route 65
• Kilbuck Street on-ramp to southbound Route 65
• Southbound Route 65 off-ramp to Kilbuck Street/Glenfield Viaduct
• Glenfield Viaduct on-ramp to southbound Route 65

Ramp Direction Reversal (During this phase of construction, traffic will travel in the opposite direction on these ramps to accommodate the crossover)

• The on-ramp from Kilbuck Street/Glenfield Viaduct to northbound Route 65 will become the southbound off-ramp to Kilbuck Street/Glenfield Viaduct/northbound I-79
• Northbound off-ramp from Route 65 to Glenfield Viaduct/Kilbuck Street/northbound I-79 becomes the on-ramp from Kilbuck Street/Glenfield Viaduct to southbound Route 65. Northbound traffic on Route 65 accessing Glenfield Viaduct/Kilbuck Street/northbound I-79 will be detoured.  

Crews will be reconstructing the roadway and ramps. The process to complete the crossover and close and reverse the ramps is expected to take most of the day on Monday to complete. Motorists are asked to use extreme caution, expect delays and be prepared for changing traffic patterns when traveling through the area. These traffic patterns will remain in place around-the-clock through late June 2010. Signs will be posted to guide motorists around the closed ramps.

The following detours will be in place on Monday:

• Northbound I-79 to southbound Route 65: Take I-79 to Exit 66 (Emsworth) to Deer Run Road to Kilbuck Street to the on-ramp to Route 65 southbound
• Southbound I-79 to southbound Route 65: Take Exit 66 (Emsworth) to Kilbuck Street to the on-ramp to Route 65 southbound
• Southbound I-79 to northbound Route 65: Take Exit 65 (Neville Island) to Grand Avenue, access northbound I-79 to Exit 66 (Sewickley) to northbound Route 65
• Northbound Route 65 to northbound I-79:  Take off-ramp to I-79 south to Exit 65 (Neville Island) to Grand Avenue, access northbound I-79
• Southbound Route 65 to I-79:  Take ramp to Kilbuck Street to access northbound and southbound I-79
• Northbound Route 65 to Kilbuck Street/Glenfield Viaduct: Take off-ramp to southbound I-79 to Exit 65 (Neville Island) to Grand Avenue, access northbound I-79 to Exit 66 (Emsworth) to Deer Run Road to Kilbuck Street/Glenfield Viaduct
• Glenfield Viaduct/Kilbuck Street to northbound Route 65: Take Deer Run Road to southbound I-79 to Exit 65 (Neville Island) to Grand Avenue, access northbound I-79 to Exit 66 (Sewickley) to northbound Route 65

The second phase of work set to occur later this summer will cross northbound traffic onto the southbound lanes of Route 65. Traffic will then continue in this pattern through fall. 

The work is part of an overall $20.8 million project to improve the I-79 Neville Island Bridge-Route 65 (Ohio River Boulevard) interchange (Exit 66) and approaching roadways in Neville and Robinson townships and Glenfield Borough. The overall project will improve I-79, Route 65 and the interchange at Exit 66 including 10 bridge and ramp structures. Work includes concrete pavement roadway reconstruction, erosion and sedimentation pollution control, highway lighting, expansion joint replacement, bridge preservation work (latex overlays, spot/zone painting, steel repairs, expansion dam replacements, concrete deck and substructure repairs, resetting bearings), bituminous pavement, signing and pavement marking, and other miscellaneous construction. The overall project will be completed in October 2010. The prime contractor for the project is Swank Associated Companies, Inc. of New Kensington PA.

Get on the PennDOT traffic restriction notification list for Route 65 by sending your email address to jstruzzi@state.pa.us. Type “Route 65 - Subscribe” in the subject line.

PennDOT reminds motorists they can log on to 511pa.comor call 511 from any phone to check traffic conditions on major roadways before traveling. 

CLICK HERE FOR GOOGLE MAP OF GENERAL AREA 

Morrow Road (Route 3008) Bridge Repairs Begin Monday in Upper St. Clair

Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is announcing work to repair the bridge that carries Morrow Road (Route 3008) over McLaughlin Run in Upper St. Clair Township, Allegheny County, will begin on Monday, March 22. 

The bridge is between McLaughlin Run Road (Route 3004) and Morrow Lane. Single lane alternating use traffic will occur as needed on Morrow Road from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Wednesday, March 24. Crews will be conducting substructure repairs on the bridge.

The work is included in a $2.8 million contract with Lone Pine Construction, Inc. of Bentleyville, PA, for improvements on several bridges in PennDOT District 11.

Motorists are advised to use caution, slow down and expect changing traffic patterns when traveling through the area.

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. 

CLICK HERE FOR GOOGLE MAP OF GENERAL AREA

Fort Duquesne Boulevard On-Ramp to Fort Duquesne Bridge Long-Term Closure Begins Monday

Pittsburgh – PennDOT District 11 is advising motorists the on-ramp to the outbound (northbound) Fort Duquesne Bridge (I-279) from Fort Duquesne Boulevard in the City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, will be closed long-term beginning on Monday, March 22.

The ramp closure will begin at 7 a.m. on Monday and continue around-the-clock through April 9. Crews will be removing and replacing bridge expansion dams.

Signs will be posted to guide motorists around the closure.

Posted Detour:

• Take the 10th Street Bypass to Commonwealth Place
• Follow Commonwealth Place to Fort Pitt Boulevard
• Take Fort Pitt Boulevard to the Fort Duquesne Bridge.   

The $23.3 million Fort Duquesne Bridge Preservation Project includes improvements on 16 bridge and ramp structures interchanging with the Fort Duquesne Bridge. Work includes latex overlays, spot/zone painting, steel repairs, expansion dam replacements, concrete deck and substructure repairs, resetting rocker bearings, signing and pavement markings, and other miscellaneous improvements. The prime contractor for the project is the Trumbull Corporation of Pittsburgh. Construction will conclude in fall 2010.

The Fort Duquesne Bridge preservation project one of 13 projects in PennDOT’s three-county District 11 region being funded by American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Statewide, Pennsylvania is receiving more than $1 billion for highway and bridge projects from the ARRA. Route 22/30/60 interchange project in Robinson Township was the first ARRA project underway in Allegheny County.

To learn more about how the federal economic stimulus will benefit Pennsylvania, visit www.recovery.pa.gov.

PennDOT reminds motorists they can log on to 511pa.com or call 511 from any phone to check traffic conditions and cameras on major roadways before traveling. 

CLICK HERE FOR GOOGLE MAP OF GENERAL AREA