Debris Removal Systems Reduce Lane Closure Time and Improve Safety

One of the challenging aspects of Traffic Incident Management (TIM) that falls on PennDOT is roadway clean-up following incidents. If not handled quickly and effectively, these incidents can put first responders and other motorists at risk for additional incidents to occur and cause significant congestion. 

As part of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Every Day Counts Round 7 (EDC-7) Next-Generation TIM: Technology for Saving Lives innovation, PennDOT Engineering District 11 deployed two different debris removal systems to improve its response to incidents across the district – Lane Blade and DebrisClear.   

PennDOT’s Tunnel Maintenance organization in District 11 has been utilizing the Lane Blade to remove debris from roadways since 2023. This innovation was installed on an F-550 tow truck and is used as a push bumper to clear vehicles off the roadway, and similar to a plow, push material or debris off the roadway.  This tool has been very effective and is being staged at the Squirrel Hill Tunnel on I-376 in Allegheny County due to the higher number of incidents the crews responds to in that tunnel.   

“It makes it safer for our Tunnel Maintenance crew since we can remove debris from the travel lanes without getting out of the vehicle,” said Assistant Tunnel Manager Eugene Clifton. “We push it to the shoulder where it is safer to be outside the vehicle for our people.”  

The Allegheny County maintenance team followed suit in 2024 when it was awarded FHWA State Transportation Innovation Council (STIC) Incentive Program funding for a DebrisClear system to be installed on a foreman’s truck to improve county incident response. While similar to the Lane Blade, the DebrisClear system has fewer moving parts and is lighter, which helps save on the wear and tear on the front end of the vehicle. This system was installed by Allegheny County diesel mechanics along with a DebrisClear technician over the course of a few days in fall 2025.   

Allegheny County Highway Foreman 2 Larry Ervin installed the system on his truck.   

“I like it,” he said. I have been able to get things off the roadway immediately that cannot wait. I have also been able to clear several tire casings out of the left lane on the interstate by pushing it to the shoulder, which allows me to safely get out of the truck and load it in the back.” 

With the success of these debris removal systems, District 11 will look for future opportunities to install additional devices on tunnel and other county equipment.