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November 2015
PennDOT Manages Papal Visit - Related Travel to Philadelphia
Join Us in GettingReady for Winter!
Natural Beauty of Benezette Highlighted on New Bridge
Ceremony HighlightsInternational Agreement
PennDOT Manages Papal Visit - Related Travel to Philadelphia
By Charles Metzger, Community Relations Coordinator and Gene Blaum, Assistant Press Secretary, PennDOT District 6
Pope Francis’ visit to Philadelphia in lateSeptember was a historic and immenselysuccessful event marking the pope’s initialtrip to the United States and first papal stopin the City of Brotherly Love since Pope JohnPaul II in 1979.
The announcement that Pope Francis wouldtravel to Philadelphia for the World Meetingof Families ignited detailed planning toprepare for a momentous event that wouldattract hundreds of thousands of spectators,many from around the globe. PennDOT staffworked in concert with federal, state, andmunicipal agencies, plus transportationorganizations throughout the mid-Atlanticregion, to develop a Traffic ManagementPlan designed to maintain public safety andserve the travel demands of lawenforcement and emergency vehicles.
District Executive Kenneth McClain said thesuccessful execution of the plan marked theculmination of more than five months ofplanning and preparation with external
partners, which included the United StatesSecret Service; Pennsylvania State Police;City of Philadelphia; Federal HighwayAdministration; World Meeting of Families;Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission;Pennsylvania Emergency ManagementAgency; Pennsylvania National Guard;Federal Emergency Management Agency;Delaware Valley Regional PlanningCommission; SEPTA; Port Authority TransitCorporation (PATCO); Delaware River PortAuthority; Delaware River Joint Toll BridgeCommission; New Jersey DOT; New JerseyTurnpike; Delaware DOT; MarylandDepartment of Highways; EngineeringDistricts 4, 5 and 8; and the emergencyoperation centers in the five counties inDistrict 6.
“The enormity of Pope Francis’ visit requiredhigh-level, multi-jurisdictional coordinationto produce a comprehensive plan to movetravelers through the region, divert throughtraffic to highways outside Philadelphia, andprovide law enforcement and emergency
responders with unrestricted access for thesafety of everyone involved,” McClain added.
The operation began in the spring under thedirection of then-Acting District ExecutiveChristine Reilly. The District 6 team, led byActing Assistant District Executive forServices Lou Belmonte and TrafficOperations Manager Manny Anastasiadis,worked in close coordination with SecretaryRichards, Special Assistant to the SecretaryLeo Bagley, Emergency/IncidentManagement Section Chief Jon Fleming,ADE-Maintenance John Krafczyk, HighwayMaintenance Manager Lorraine Ryan, andkey Department staff to coordinate thetraffic, emergency management, andmaintenance details.
District 6 also worked closely with theDelaware Valley Regional PlanningCommission, which developed detailedtraffic models and traffic projections onregional highways to assist in the planningfor the papal visit.
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As a result of requests from localgovernments and law enforcement,weekend-long closures of Interstate 76,Interstate 676 and U.S. 1/City Avenue wereinstituted due to street restrictions inPhiladelphia, anticipated large crowds, andthe necessity for law enforcement and firstresponders to move quickly within the city.Interstate 95 remained open throughout theweekend.
To orchestrate the closing of two majorinterstates, PennDOT maintenancepersonnel and equipment were stationed at37 closure points to ensure traffic could notenter the highways. Municipal andPennsylvania National Guard staffcoordinated the closure of U.S. 1/CityAvenue, where St. Charles BorromeoSeminary is located in Lower MerionTownship, Montgomery County. Theseminary hosted Pope Francis during hisstay in Philadelphia.
For citizens traveling to Philadelphia,PennDOT and the Pennsylvania TurnpikeCommission launched a detailed travelers’website for the papal weekend. In addition,
PennDOT and neighboring Mid-Atlanticstates deployed a cohesive, long-distancetravel advisory and diversion plan utilizing335 electronic Highway Message Signs toinform Philadelphia-bound travelers ofhighway restrictions, and provide alternativeroutes. A special service-plaza poster alsowas produced and placed in WelcomeCenters and service plazas throughout theMid-Atlantic region to inform motorists ofpapal weekend travel information.
McClain thanked PennDOT’s Central Officeand Engineering Districts for theirassistance, including their role in helping toinform travelers by way of posting papaltravel messages on Highway MessageSigns, and providing District 6 withadditional assets to safely executeexpressway closures, including 25 portableelectronic message boards, 1,000 cones, 55barricades, and six portable lights.
To handle unexpected incidents, District 6deployed its 13 State Farm Safety Patrol towtrucks throughout the weekend to keeptravel lanes open, and PEMA andPennsylvania State Police response teams
were at the ready to assist motorists ifnecessary.
The District 6 maintenance team made sureregional highways were in fine shape for thePope’s arrival by clearing brush, sweepingexpressways, and performing additionalduties to ensure pumps, emergency swinggates, and other highway equipment workedproperly. District 6 also made specialprovisions to accommodate the manycustomers who were anticipated to stop atthe I-95 Welcome Center in DelawareCounty and I-95 Rest Area in Bucks Countywhile traveling through the region.
“A special thank you to all our employeeswho spent their time planning andexecuting the Transportation ManagementPlan in support of the papal visit,” McCainsaid. “The plan was carried out without amajor incident, and I’m proud to say District6 met its obligation of closing two criticalinterstate highways and reopening themwell ahead of schedule. This event wasunprecedented and our plan can serve as amodel for managing future special events.”
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Join Us in Getting Ready For Winter!
During winter weather, PennDOT’s primary goal is to keep roads passable and as safe aspossible. Roads will not be free of ice and snow while precipitation is falling.
As winter readies itself to settle into Pennsylvania, PennDOT urgesmotorists to join the department’s 4,800 operators and roughly2,200 trucks in preparing for the season.
“PennDOT’s staff and equipment are working hard to be ready forwinter’s arrival, and drivers are a huge part of our mission to keeproads as safe as possible this winter,” PennDOT Secretary Leslie S.Richards said. “Motorists should prepare themselves and theirvehicles now, before winter weather hits.”
If motorists encounter snow or ice-covered roads, they should slowdown, increase their following distance and avoid distractions. Lastwinter, there were 552 crashes resulting in four fatalities and 279injuries on snowy, slushy or ice-covered roadways where aggressive-driving behaviors such as speeding or making careless lane changeswere factors in the crash.
When winter weather hits, PennDOT’s primary focus is on interstatesand expressways, and equipment may be redirected to these routes
during significant winter events. The more traffic a roadway has, themore attention it will receive from plows, so motorists may finddeeper accumulations on less-traveled routes and should adjusttheir driving for those conditions.
Last winter, PennDOT used nearly 1.2 million tons of salt on state-owned roads. PennDOT has more than 667,000 tons of saltstockpiled and will continue to take salt deliveries throughout thewinter.
We remind you that that you can personally monitor more than40,000 roadway miles, including color-coded winter conditions on2,900 miles, by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free andavailable 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weatherforecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 770traffic cameras.
We’ve made a page devoted to winter on www.PennDOT.gov withmuch more information. Visit www.PennDOT.gov/winter.
Storm Management
Each storm is different, and varies even from region to region.PennDOT staff review weather reports and on-the-ground conditionsto plan how to manage each storm.
In a non-freezing-rain storm, department crews may pretreat withsalt brine, essentially a mix of water and salt, from the backs of anti-icing trucks before frozen precipitation starts to fall. While salt brineisn’t needed for every storm, when it’s used it helps PennDOT get ajump start on removing ice and snow. Examples of when crews will
not pretreat include when a storm is forecast to start as rain (rainwill wash the material away) or when there is enough salt residuefrom a previous storm.
In addition to storm preparation, how PennDOT uses wintermaterials during storms varies by roadway and precipitation type.On higher-volume roadways, salt is the primary winter material usedthrough a storm, especially during rush hours and on bridges,hills, curves and intersections. On lower-volume roadways theamount of salt will be reduced and anti-skid will be used morebecause salt is most effective with higher traffic volumes.
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The Average PennDOT Plow Route = 40 Miles
Our Plow TrucksFollow Specific Routes
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The time it takes for a plow truck to pass by the same point on the route depends on how heavy precipitation is, and how muchtraffic is on the roadway.
Interstates and expressways are PennDOT’s primary focus. In fact, equipment may be redirected to these roads duringsignificant storms.
2HOURS
3HOURS
SEVERALHOURS
INTERSTATES & EXPRESSWAYSInterstates and expressways will see a plow route completed in roughly two hours.
SECONDARY STATE ROADSBecause trucks are often redirected to higher-priority roads, it can take several hours to complete a route on the lowest-volume roadways.
OTHER MAJOR ROUTESOther major routes or less-traveled state roads may see a plow every three hours.
Under Ideal Conditions in a Low-Accumulation Storm
Average Plow Times During Winter Weather Events
The heavier the traffic or precipitation on a roadway, the longer these routes will take.
PennDOT is responsible for more than 40,000 miles ofstate-maintained roadway or 96,000 snow-lane miles - enough miles to circle the globe nearly four times,and all of New England, New York and New Jerseycombined! A snow-lane is calculated as the miles ofroad multiplied by the number of lanes, which means aone-mile section of four-lane roadway would equal foursnow-lane miles.
Getting Your Vehicle Ready For Winter! - Motorists should ensure that......
Emergency Travel Kit...Don’t Leave Home Without It!
All lightsare working
Tires areproperlyinflated
Tires haveproper treaddepth
Dedicatedsnow tiresfor heavysnow areas
Pre-winter mechanical inspection is completed
Your radio is working properly
Your wipers don’t streak
Fluid levels are full.
To prepare for winter driving, especially if long-distance travel is planned, motorists should carry an emergency kit including items such asnon-perishable food, water, first-aid supplies, warm clothes, a blanket, cell phone charger and a small snow shovel. However, motorists shouldtailor their kits to any specific needs that they or their families may have. Consider adding such items as baby supplies, extra medication, petsupplies, or even children's games.
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Gov. Wolf Announces Expanded PennDOT Technology Pilot to Track Over 700 Plow Trucks
This year, more than 700 plowtrucks covering interstatesand expressways statewidewill be outfitted withtechnology to improvelocation and operationsinformation through a pilotprogram announced byGovernor Wolf.
“This system will allowPennDOT to see operationsand conditions on the groundin real-time, helping them tobetter analyze how they dotheir jobs and get the bestinvestment out of everydollar,” Governor Wolf said. “Agovernment that works is alsoa transparent one and thispilot is a perfect example ofmaximizing efficiency andmodernizing operations.”
The governor joined PennDOTSecretary Leslie S. Richards atthe department’s District 8headquarters in Harrisburg toexplain how the AutomatedVehicle Location (AVL) systemwill help improve thedepartment’s real-timeinformation on vehiclemovement, plow-routecoverage and usage ofmaterials such as salt andanti-skid.
“We expect that thistechnology will not only helpus review truck movementand material usage after astorm, but it should also helpus while storms areoccurring,” Richards said.“Interstates and expresswaysare our top priority during
winter weather, and thissystem will help us identifyand respond to real-timeconditions even better thanwe do today.”
The AVL system pilot is part ofGovernor Wolf’s GO-TIMEinitiative that leverages inter-agency coordination andcollaboration to maximizeefficiency, modernize stategovernment operations, andprovide the highest qualityservices. The pilot, as one ofseven GO-TIME projectsidentified by PennDOT in2016-2017, is expected torealize a cost savings of $1.4million over the next four tosix years based on acombination of reduced saltusage and better use ofdepartment equipment,Richards said.
In total, 516 PennDOT plowtrucks and 212 contractedrental trucks servicinginterstates and expresswaysacross the state will have AVLinstalled. Statewide, PennDOThas 2,200 total department-force trucks and also rentsapproximately 270 trucks andtheir operators to maintainthe more than 40,000 miles ofroadway for which PennDOTis responsible.
PennDOT plans to make thesystem’s real-time locationdata available to the publiclater this year through itstraveler information website,www.511PA.com.
Governor Tom Wolf and PennDOT Secretary Leslie Richards announced that more than 700 plow trucks covering interstates and expressways statewide will beoutfitted with technology to improve location and operations information through a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) pilot program, thiswinter season. Joining the Governor and Secretary at the announcement was Rich Roman, director of the Bureau of Maintenance and Operations.
AVL Goes “Live at Five!”
By Ron Young, Community Relations Coordinator District 5-0
Last winter, Engineering District 5 participated in a pilotprogram to test the recently announced Automated VehicleLocation (AVL) system in plow trucks. The system uses in-trucktechnology to log and share data in real-time for that truck. TheAVL unit in each truck sends a cellular signal through thesystem showing where a truck is located and whether or howmuch material is being spread from the truck.
“This is a valuable tool for situational awareness,” AssistantDistrict Executive for Maintenance Jill Krause said. “It allows thestaff in the Command Center to see where a truck is located andgather data to help track and manage the material that is beingspread from the truck. This eliminates having to radio theoperator in the middle of storm operations for this information.”
Last winter, District 5 had 13 trucks outfitted with the AVLsystem, patrolling sections of Interstates 78, 80, 81, 176 and380, as well as Routes 22, 33, 222 and 422. The AVL providedDistrict 5 staff with information such as real time locations ofthe trucks, air and road temperatures, type of materials beingspread (salt, anti-skid, mixtures), and material application rates.
This winter, District 5 will have 75 Department trucks and 25 rental trucks outfitted with AVL throughout the six-county region.
The heart of the AVL System installed on a PennDOT plow truck
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By Fritzi Schreffler, Safety Press Officer District 8
Winter Media Requests Taken in Stride
Winter is looming and at PennDOT,that means we have already begunpreparing for another year of whatmany call our “other” season besidesconstruction season.
Our county crews head out before,during, and after each winter event,doing their best to keep roads passableand motorists safe. As a press officer, Imust make sure those motorists knowthe road conditions and what they canexpect during commuting hours. Theyneed to know what our crews are doing,and how to be safe around our plows.
Press officers do not have “normalbusiness hours,” especially during awinter event. We are the voice of ourdistrict and need to be 24/7 to keep thepublic notified. Our phones stay by usat all times in case the media calls andneed information. I get up early, amavailable on the weekends, and haveeven walked out during my husband’ssermons to do a quick interviewoutside or at the nearby stockpile.Good thing I read his sermons thenight before! (Plus he kinda likes me!)
A typical winter storm goes like this forme: “Hi, this is FOX 43 calling. Can weset up a phone interview starting at 4a.m.? You will be on every half-hour, ifthat works.” Or “Hi, it’s Nate callingfrom CBS 21. Can we get you livestarting at 4:30 a.m. at your Carlislestockpile?”
Sometimes I’m juggling two stations atthe same time, with the one that calledfirst getting the first shot during themorning show. Yes, that means gettingup at 3:15 to check reports, call into theIncident Command Center (ICC) andget an update, then “putting on theface” to go live.
It can mean being home during aweekend storm and having my dearhusband shovel out the driveway so theTV station can pull in and get a liveupdate or record footage for later on intheir evening news show. During thispast winter’s snow squalls, my husband
even pulled out my car so that we couldshoot the story inside the garage withthe squalls in the background.
I am very lucky to have a good workingrelationship with the district’s TVaffiliates. They are willing to come tomy house to make it as convenient aspossible for me while still getting thestory they need. I have also recordedmyself on my cell phone and sent it to amedia outlet at their request for themto post on their Facebook page as anupdate!
As situations warrant, I may be doingthe interviews myself, or setting thestations up with my co-workers or ourcounty managers. The stations love tointerview Cumberland CountyMaintenance Manager Dan Storm;mostly for his name. You know,someone has to crack a joke at somepoint about interviewing Dan Stormduring a snow storm.
It is great for all concerned to havecounty managers and assistants whoare willing to take a few minutes of theirtime to help our press office ensurethat the public knows that we are outthere and what we are doing.
I have to say that although I truly lovemy job, it is not always fun getting upthat early and there are inherentdangers. Last winter, I fell on black ice,receiving a concussion and sprain rightafter I’d warned motorists about blackice! It was not one of my finestmoments, but thank goodness it wasnot on camera! I still managed to dothe final live shot…although I admitthe details are a bit fuzzy!
Some may question why I am alwaysavailable and my answer is always thesame. I have a job to do for PennDOTand for the public. My thought hasalways been that if I am available whenthe media needs me, they will beavailable for me when I need them. Sofar, so good!
Winter Readiness a Year-Round Effort in District 4
Most of us adopt an “out of sight, out of mind”approach to winter weather. As soon as theground thaws, the snow melts and the flowersbegin to bloom, we avoid the thought of wintersnow until the flakes begin to fall the followingyear. The hope, it often seems, is that if we onlyavoid the thought of snow, then maybe – justmaybe – one year it’ll stay warm all year long.
For PennDOT, however, the end of one snowseason signals the beginning of preparation forthe next.
As soon as the snow plows were taken off thetrucks last spring, PennDOT District 4 conductedan in-depth After Action Review to determine whatcould be done better this year. We looked for areasto improve customer service and for places that wecan effectively cut costs. With the cost of saltapproximately 12 percent higher statewide thanlast year, and the cost of anti-skid doubling incertain regions, this was a critical step in ensuringthat we continue to provide the highest level ofcustomer service along the 8,500 snow lane milesthat we are responsible to maintain here innortheastern Pennsylvania.
One of the improvements we were able to make isin our truck routes. By utilizing the latesttechnology and applying a GeographicInformation System (GIS) platform to every singletruck on every single route, we were able touncover areas that we can improve. We were ableto minimize redundancy of routes and eliminateunnecessary back hauling of materials. This year,we will also be able to utilize the Department’srecently launched Automated Vehicle Locator(AVL) system to reduce downtime in waiting formaterials. By tracking the exact location of all thetrucks on interstates and interstate lookalikes, wewill be able to greatly reduce backlogs of trucks inthe shed waiting to be filled with materials.
Even with the latest in technology, the key to anefficient operation is personnel. District 4 beginsto hire excellent temporary operators andmechanics in August to augment our fulltime staff.They report to their winter assignments in themiddle of November in order to become familiarwith their truck and route. Responsibilitiesinclude inspecting their truck, running their routeand noting any hazards that may impede winteroperations or provide an unsafe condition. Theywill then supplement our fulltime staff as soon asthe weather requires us to move into dual shift operations.
By James May, Community Relations Coordinator,District 4
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Paint the Plow” Program Turns Plows into Art!
By Tara Callahan-Henry, Community Relations Coordinator District 9
PennDOT District 9’s “Paint the Plow”program began as an idea last winterthanks to Cambria County MaintenanceManager Jeffrey Mitchell. The OhioDepartment of Transportation had done asimilar program and posted some of thephotos and information on their Facebookpage, which caught Mitchell’s attention.After discussions with the Ohio DOT, it wasdecided that PennDOT District 9 would pilotthe program in Cambria County in order tosee if school districts and the public wouldget behind the idea. Once the logisticalinformation was figured out, requests to jointhe program were sent to all CambriaCounty high schools in order to gauge theirinterest.
Eight schools responded favorably: CambriaHeights High School, Central Cambria HighSchool, Forest Hills High School, GreaterJohnstown Career and Technology Center,Greater Johnstown High School, NorthernCambria High School, Portage Area HighSchool, and the Westmont Hilltop HighSchool. Nine plows were delivered to each ofthe eight schools, two of which went to theGreater Johnstown Career and TechnologyCenter so that a variety of students fromdifferent technical classes would have ashot at painting a plow. The students weregiven approximately one month to createtheir best work of art before the judgingprocess began. The plows were delivered tothe students in early September with a pick-up date of early-October. A few minor“speed bumps,” which included inclement
weather, pushed back the pickup of some ofthe plows by several weeks. Once the plowswere picked up, photos were taken of eachplow and the contest began!
A panel of judges from various walks of lifein Cambria County along with PennDOTrepresentatives were selected to participatein picking the winner. Also, photos of eachcompleted plow were posted on thePennDOT statewide Facebook page whereusers had the opportunity to vote for the“Fan Favorite” of the contest. Facebookvoting was open to the public for two weeksso that fans had an ample opportunity tovote for their favorite plow. The programreceived great media coverage via localnewspapers and television stations.At noon on Friday, Oct. 23, Facebook votingended and the “Fan-Favorite” was chosen!The “Fan-Favorite” contest winner and theOverall Contest Winner were announcedduring a press conference held at theCambria County Maintenance Facility onTuesday, Oct. 27.
Representatives from PennDOT, thePennsylvania State Police, and CambriaCounty gathered at the event to honor thestudents’ work and also to offer a safetymessage for the upcoming winter season. Atthis event, the “Fan-Favorite” was awardedto Cambria Heights High School and theOverall winner went to Central CambriaHigh School! The schools were presented atrophy, which was crafted by County WelderPat Wagner and Roadway Programs
Technician 2 Bonnie Emigh. All schools thatparticipated in the program were alsopresented with a certificate of recognitionfor the hard work that the students put intotheir creations.
“This program has brought a great interestto the Cambria County region this year,”said PennDOT District Executive Thomas A.Prestash. “This has truly been a project thatinvolved the entire community, from theschools, the judges and the Facebookvoters. It got people thinking about winterand safety early this year.”
The project took a lot of effort to coordinate,but was well received by students, teachers,and most importantly, the Cambria Countycommunity, which got behind the project100% and were proud of the hard work andtalent displayed by the local youth. Teachers have already been asking if thecounty will be doing it in the future and areready to participate, according to TaraWilliams, art teacher at Portage Area HighSchool
“This has been so much fun and I wouldlove to be included in the next year’scontest if you choose to continue this foryears to come,” she said. “My students hadto learn to work together in creating adesign that they all could live with and workon together, real world skills that every childneeds to experience.”
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Natural Beauty of Benezette Highlighted on New Bridge
Pennsylvania is a state blessed with manylocations that are historic, special andbeautiful. Every one of our 67 counties hasat least one place that can fit that bill. Fromthe tranquility and peace of Fallingwater tothe breathtaking vistas of the PennsylvaniaGrand Canyon, each of us can think ofnumerous Pennsylvania locations that wehold close to our hearts and think of fondly.
In Elk County, the Benezette area is one ofthose places. Benezette is nestled in ruralBennetts Valley, serving as home tohundreds of elk that roam the area andfascinate visitors. Since its opening inSeptember 2010, the Elk Visitor’s Center onWinslow Hill has welcomed approximately1.3 million visitors, demonstrating thepopularity of this magical place. As plans evolved to replace a bridge onRoute 555 in the middle of the village ofBenezette, local residents had many validconcerns. They included maintaining trafficflow safely, sticking to a mid-Augustcompletion date prior to the heavy trafficvolumes of the Elk Expo and Elk Huntlottery license drawing, and getting afinished bridge that looked as though itbelonged in this wooded, natural setting.
Rawley Cogan of the Keystone Elk CountryAlliance shared those concerns. Heunderstands the area and has a deepappreciation for the beauty of thePennsylvania Wilds. In a phone interview,Cogan noted that the contractor andPennDOT shared the Alliance’s concernsand worked diligently to ensure that thebridge opened ahead of the special events.
The $1.8 million project got underway in lateMarch 2015, and a temporary bridge thatcarried traffic around the construction sitewas in use by late April, upstream from theold one. With the temporary bridge carryingtraffic, work began to demolish the oldbridge and build the new one. The project
proceeded through the spring and into thesummer without incidents or setbacks. The original design for the bridge includedan architectural surface treatment on theoutside face of the bridge barriers(parapets), but the inside face of thebarriers was not included. Because of thelocation of this bridge, in the heart of thePennsylvania Wilds, and the high exposureto tourists from all over the country,PennDOT’s project inspector, Lon Baird, andstaff from L.C. Whitford (project contractor)began discussing the potential for doingsomething to make the inside face more attractive.
Cogan pointed out that other states haveused similar techniques to incorporatewildlife into bridge projects. With that inmind, using treatments that help the newbridge fit naturally and seamlessly into itssurroundings made perfect sense.
With the contractor agreeing to shoulderthe cost, Lon contacted local artist, AnnetteRupprecht. She owns Monarch Designs,lives in Elk County, and has designedmurals, billboards, and other media pieceswhile working in the Benezette area over hermore than 30-year career. The teamdiscussed the options for the insideparapets, and Rupprecht developed aconceptual drawing. She made silhouettestencils of mountains, trees, and elk, withthe stencil constructed by hand-work andcomputer graphics and made from a specialmaterial that adheres to concrete. Once theimages were adhered to the bridge, a saltand weather resistant stain/sealer wasapplied in three layers and three differentshades. L.C. Whitford supplied the stain.
Rupprecht’s enthusiasm about the project isevident. “The stencil application was a greatidea,” she said. “I really enjoyed the wholeprocess and loved ‘giving back’ to theBenezette community in this unique way.”
Annette also shared that during theapplication process she and the stencil crewgained a renewed respect for the dangersfaced by road construction crews. Project Inspector Baird played a key role inthis effort. He loves the Benezette area, andrecognized the opportunity to do somethingspecial on the project. Benezette is a touristattraction with hundreds of thousands ofvisitors each year. Coordinating thepartnership effort on the appearance of thebridge helps to show that the Departmentappreciates the area as much as theresidents and tourists do. Baird offersspecial thanks to the contractor, the L.C.Whitford Co., Inc., for covering the costassociated with the stenciling. They wereextremely proud to be associated with thisproject and were enthusiastic about thefinished appearance of the bridge.
“Without L.C. Whitford’s cooperation andgenerosity, this would not have beenpossible,” Baird said. “I’ve received nothingbut positive feedback about the new bridge.I’ve worked for the Department 31 years andI knew this was a unique opportunity tomake a statement within the community.”
That positive feedback extends to theKeystone Elk Country Alliance and localbusinesses. District 2 has receivednumerous “Kudos” for a job well done—including comments about the contractor’sexcellent performance.
Replacing the bridge has allowed us toremove it from Elk County’s structurallydeficient list but it’s the attractive fauxstone finish and the beautiful stencils thatvisitors will marvel at as they cross TroutRun. As the photos show, the bridge easilymelds with its surrounding and stands asproof that PennDOT cares about the Elkviewing area.
By Marla Fannin, Community Relations Coordinator District 2
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Ceremony Highlights International Agreement
Secretary Richards signs a ceremonial copy of the new driver’s license reciprocity agreement with Taiwan, Republic of China, at the Capitol in October. Next to heris Ambassador Wen-Liang Chang of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York, who signed on behalf of Taiwan. To his left is Pennsylvania Secretary ofState Pedro Cortez. Standing behind the Ambassador and Secretary are Sen. Andrew Dinniman of Chester County, who assisted with Taiwan’s request for theagreement, and Joseph Burke, acting deputy secretary for the Office of International Business Development in the Department of Community and EconomicDevelopment.
Taiwanese government officials, State Senator Andrew Dinniman of Chester County, and PennDOT Secretary Leslie Richards presided over aceremonial signing of a reciprocal driver license agreement between PennDOT and Taiwan in October. The agreement acknowledges thatTaiwan and Pennsylvania share comparable knowledge and driving skills requirements for non-commercial drivers. This streamlines theprocess for the exchange of valid, non-commercial driver’s licenses for applicants from Taiwan living in Pennsylvania and applicants fromPennsylvania living in Taiwan.
Pennsylvania’s exports to Taiwan totaled $409 million in 2014 and imports totaled $771 million. There are six Taiwanese companies located inPennsylvania, and since 2003, 12 Pennsylvania companies have located in Taiwan.
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USA Little League World Series Champion Has Strong PennDOT Roots
Another source of PennDOT Pride, the USA Little League WorldSeries Champion Red Land All-Stars! The reason? Look no furtherthan #12, the team’s shortstop and pitcher, Jaden Henline. Jadenhas two relatives here at PennDOT: his mother, Stephanie Henline,budget analyst in Information Technology Project Development andDelivery, and his uncle, Steve Whitebread, who is a budget analystin Fiscal Management. Jaden stopped by the PennDOT ExecutiveOffices to present an autographed baseball to one of his biggestfans, Transportation Secretary Richards!
Roy Gothie is responsible for managing the Department’sstatewide Bicycle/Pedestrian program. He’ll serve on statewide,regional, and national committees and task forces, and willinteract with municipal officials, legislators, transit agencies, andprofessional and advocacy Bicycle/Pedestrian organizations.Send your bicycle/pedestrian concerns and comments [email protected].
Meet PennDOT’s new Bicycle/Pedestrian Coordinator, Roy Gothie
From Left to Right - (L-R) Steve Whitebread, Jody Henline (Dad) Stephanie Henline,Jaden Henline, Secretary Leslie Richards
