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July 8, 2011

Senator John Pippy E-News

News You Can Use

Just For Kids

Rainy summer days and kids mean more time indoors to be managed productively by moms and dads. Pennsylvania State Government websites offer numerous fun and educational activities for those rainy days.

The PA Department of Environmental Protection provides a website for kids focusing on the topics of air, energy, falcons, land, recycling, and water. For the budding geologist in your family, the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources dedicates web space to fossils, rocks and minerals, and earthquakes, as well as glaciers and landslides.

The PA Fish & Boat Commission website is stocked with fun for kids. Visit with Bob the Boating Safety Pirate to locate information critical to safe boating. Join your kids for a shared experience under the direction of the PF&BC's Educators webpage.

The PA Office of Attorney General reveals tips for cyber-bulling and safe web surfing. Kids who pass the Safe Surf Quiz will become an official Junior Attorney General with a printable certificate.

Fun facts, games, and coloring books are just a click away. Check out the selection of educational sites and then add those bookmarks to your list of favorites for hours of fun during those rainy days.

Help Seniors Avoid Heat-Related Illness

Intense summer heat and humidity sends most of us in search of air conditioning in our homes, malls, theaters, and libraries, as recommended by the Pennsylvania Office of Consumer Advocate (OCA), especially for seniors.

Hyperthermia or an abnormally high body temperature is caused by a failure of the heat-regulating mechanisms of the body to deal with hot summer weather. The victim may suffer heat fatigue, heat syncope (sudden dizziness after prolonged exposure to the heat), heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke.

Take the following steps to assist someone suffering from a heat-related illness:

• Get the person out of the sun and into a shady, air-conditioned or other cool place. Urge them to lie down. 
• If you suspect heat stroke, call 911. 
• Encourage the individual to shower, bathe or sponge off with cool water. 
• Apply a cold, wet cloth to the wrists, neck, armpits, and/or groin, places where blood passes close to the surface of the skin. The cold cloths can help cool the blood. 
• Offer fluids such as water or fruit and vegetable juices, but avoid alcohol and caffeine.

Consult this OCA's Consumer Tip and learn more about avoiding and treating heat-related illness. For local resources and assistance, contact the Area Agency on Aging.

Pennsylvania Game Commission Announces 2011-2012 Hunting Seasons & Bag Limits

Seasons and bag limits for hunting and trapping from July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012 are now available on the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) website.

Pennsylvania offers 45 different types of hunting and trapping licenses and provides easy links to information related to each. You will also find links to address licensing and permit issues, as well as answers to frequently asked licensing questions.

Acquire answers to additional licensing questions by calling the Hunting License Division at 717-787-2084 or by fax at 717-705-1628. Offices are open Monday through Friday (except state holidays) 7:45 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Dial Before You Dig

If your list of summer projects includes planting trees and shrubs, building a deck, or other home improvements, the Pennsylvania One Call System has a message for you – Dial Before You Dig.

Pennsylvania homeowners and businesses are living and operating on land peppered with a complex infrastructure of pipelines, wires and cables that serve your neighborhood and beyond. Prevent personal harm, service disruptions, repair costs, and fines by dialing 8-1-1 to notify the PA One Call System before you begin those projects.

Be prepared to provide necessary details which, in turn, will allow you to conduct your projects three to ten business days from the date of the call. Excavators, facility owners, designers, project owners, and emergency responders can consult the PA One Call System User's Guide to guarantee proper compliance with the law.

Reminder:  Seat Belts are Important, Even on Short Trips

When does an adult equal the weight of a flying elephant? Unrestrained in a 30 mph vehicle crash, an adult is thrown with the force of a 3 ½ ton elephant with no regard for hitting you, your child, or a friend.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is reminding motorists, most crashes happen close to home and at speeds under 40 miles an hour, when we are in familiar neighborhoods often considered the comfort zone. PennDOT's 2009 Pennsylvania Crash Facts and Statistics reveals 3 out of 4 crashes occur within 25 miles of home.

When taking trips to the local store, school, or a friend's house, PA's Bureau of Highway Safety and Traffic Engineering is reminding us to buckle up and leave the flying elephant behind.

PennDOT Traffic Alerts

PennDOT District 11 Weekend Construction Summary
July 8 - 11, 2011

Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is reminding motorists several highway and bridge improvements will be occurring in Allegheny County this weekend, July 8-11.

All activities are weather permitting and subject to change. Motorists should plan their travels accordingly by anticipating highway work zones, slowing down, exercising patience and being safe.

PennDOT is also reminding motorists approaching lane restricted highway work zones to use all open lanes to the merge point. Please be courteous to other motorists and allow them to merge. The effectiveness of traffic flow in highway work zones is highly dependent on driver behavior. Using all lanes and allowing a consistent, courteous merge will reduce congestion and delay and help traffic move smooth and safe through the work zone.

Below is a summary of the major closings and restrictions this weekend:

PARKWAY EAST
Bridge inspection
Short-term single lane closures on the eastbound Parkway East/Central (I-376) in the City of Pittsburgh will occur as needed from 6 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Sunday. Crews from Mackin Engineering and the Sofis Rigging Company will be conducting inspection activities on the bridge that carries the Parkway East/Central over Second Avenue between Grant Street (Exit 71A) and the Forbes Avenue off-ramp (Exit 72A).

Full release: Eastbound Lane Closure Sunday Morning on I-376 in Pittsburgh
Google Map of General Area:  http://maps.google.com/?ll=40.435287,-79.978623&spn=0.023486,0.038409&z=15 

Roadwork
Intermittent lane closures and single lane traffic will occur as needed from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday on the eastbound (outbound) Parkway East (I-376) in various locations between the Grant/Stanwix Street (Exit 71) and Wilkinsburg/Forest Hills (Exit 78) interchanges. Inbound (westbound) traffic will not be affected.

Full release: Outbound I-376 Parkway East Pavement Improvements Continue Saturday 
Google Map of General Area:    http://maps.google.com/?ll=40.435319,-79.927254&spn=0.093943,0.153637&z=13

I-579 - CROSSTOWN BOULEVARD
Bridge/Ramp Work
Several short–term ramp and long-term overpass closures on I-579 (Crosstown Boulevard) in the City of Pittsburgh will begin this weekend.  See the "Full Release" link below for detours and additional information.

Short-term from 8 p.m. on Friday, July 8, through 6 a.m. on Monday, July 11 for deck overlay placements:

• The ramp from the Liberty Bridge (Route 3069) to northbound I-579 
• The ramp from the westbound Boulevard of the Allies (Route 885) to northbound I-579/I-279 (Parkway North) 
• In addition this weekend, westbound Forbes Avenue will be closed in the area of I-579. Eastbound traffic on Forbes Avenue will be reduced to single lane.

Long-term from 5 a.m. on Saturday, July 9, continuously through mid-October 2011 for bridge deck replacements:

• The bridge that carries Seventh Avenue to Washington Place over I-579 
• Webster Avenue/Bigelow Boulevard Bridge over I-579 (Connects Sixth Avenue/Chatham Square to Bedford Avenue/Washington Place)

INTERSTATE 79
Roadwork
Northbound I-79 in Robinson and Kennedy townships will be reduced to a single lane from 7 p.m. on Friday night through 6 a.m. on Saturday between the Crafton/Route 60 interchange (Exit 60) and the Neville Island Bridge (Exit 64). Crews will be sawing and sealing pavement surfaces on I-79.

Full release: Northbound I-79 Single Lane Traffic Thursday and Friday nights in Robinson and Kennedy Townships
Google Map of General Area:  http://maps.google.com/?ll=40.488085,-80.124149&spn=0.093869,0.153637&z=13

Ramp work
Crews will be replacing pavement transitions on the ramp from Deer Run Road (Kilbuck Street/Route 65) to southbound I-79 and the ramp from northbound I-79 to Route 65 (Exit 66 Emsworth/Sewickley). The ramps will remain open with traffic shifted around the work areas from 7 p.m. on Friday through 7 p.m. on Saturday.

Full release:  I-79 Ramp Traffic Shifts Friday and Saturday at Route 65 Glenfield Interchange
Google Map of General Area:  http://maps.google.com/?ll=40.519052,-80.13211&spn=0.011728,0.019205&z=16

ROUTE 8 
Bridge work
Route 8 (William Flinn Highway) in Richland Township will be reduced to a single lane in each direction from 7 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. on Monday. Crews will be installing expansion dams on the bridge that carries Route 8 over Bakerstown Road (Route 4068).
Full release: Route 8 Single Lane Traffic Next Two Weekends in Richland Township 
Google Map of General Area:  http://maps.google.com/?ll=40.652448,-79.938412&spn=0.04682,0.076818&z=14

LIBERTY TUNNEL
Closed
The Liberty Tunnel (Route 3069) in the City of Pittsburgh will be closed in both directions from 10 p.m. on Friday to 6 a.m. Saturday.

Full release: Liberty Tunnel Friday Night Closures Begin this week in Pittsburgh Google Map of General Area:  http://maps.google.com/?ll=40.421926,-80.004673&spn=0.02349,0.038409&z=15

Information and Resources:

Call 1-800 FIX ROAD to report roadway problems and concerns.

For more information, visit the District 11 website, www.dot.state.pa.us , click PennDOT near you, "11" under "roadwork".

PennDOT reminds motorists to call the construction hotline at 412-429-6035 for information and current activities on the Parkway East, Parkway West, Parkway North, I-79 and Route 28. All work is weather permitting.

Log on to 511pa.com or call 511 from any phone to check traffic conditions and cameras on major roadways before traveling. The 511 system also automatically feeds Twitter accounts with information such as incidents, construction notices and weather alerts. The Pittsburgh/Southwestern-region account, www.twitter.com/511PAPittsburgh, covers Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington and Westmoreland counties. Follow PennDOT to receive real-time updates.

District 11 offers specialized information for particular roadways and projects. Potential email subscribers should specify preferences for receiving information for the following categories:

• All roadways and bridges in Allegheny, Beaver or Lawrence counties;
• Weekend work and restrictions in Allegheny County (this will only include restrictions and work activities that occur on weekends);
• Parkway East (I-376);
• Parkway West (I-376) ;
• Parkway North (I-279);
• Interstate 79;
• West Liberty Avenue and Liberty Tunnel Improvements;
• Route 28 (Allegheny Valley Expressway);
• Route 65 (Ohio River Boulevard);
• Route 48 Boston Bridge; and
• Route 19 Wexford Flats Project.

INFORMATION PROVIDED BY:

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
Engineering District 11
Dan Cessna, District Executive
45 Thoms Run Road
Bridgeville, PA 15017
Jim Struzzi, Press Officer
(412) 429-5010