Safety & Traffic Operations
Innovative Low-Cost Safety Improvement Project Pays Big Dividends in District 8
PennDOT Engineering District 8 is in the midst of designing a major safety improvement project on Route 22/322 through Clarks Ferry in Reed Township, Dauphin County, and Penn and Watts townships, Perry County. This corridor, which extends from the Clarks Ferry Bridge spanning the Susquehanna River to the east and the Route 11/15 interchange to the west, experiences traffic congestion, and frequent instances of risky and aggressive driving behavior, resulting in a higher-than-normal crash rate.
With the project in design and construction still a few years out, the question persisted on what to do to improve safety in the interim. Crashes continued to occur, so it was clear something needed to be done now.
A team from District 8, including Assistant Traffic Engineer Matthew Clouser, Traffic Engineer and Operations Supervisor Matthew Druckenmiller, Traffic Control Specialist Supervisor Kelsey Pianka, and District Highway Safety Engineer Nathan Reis went to work finding a solution.
Although it is in a rural setting, this section of highway averages around 35,000 vehicles daily. A gauntlet of businesses lines the road with closely spaced driveways. Slower traffic entering and exiting the businesses often came into conflict with higher-speed traffic.
In addition to countless close calls and near misses, from 2018 to 2023, there were 78 reportable crashes, with a large percentage of them the result of turning movements into and out of businesses. The team determined to restrict left turns along the road.
The $400,000 District 8 spent on an innovative barrier system along the State Route 22/322 corridor through Clarks Ferry in Dauphin County was money well spent. There was a significant reduction in crashes after the system was installed.
After examining several alternatives, the district chose the FG 300® curb system, an innovative modular curb with flexible delineator posts that could be installed relatively quickly. The system is highly visible, easy to maintain, and can be used in a wide range of situations. It also cost significantly less than other alternatives.
The project was designed using RapidPlan®, an innovative work zone and traffic control software that allowed designers to quickly complete plans that were easy for construction staff to interpret and avoided the need for traditional computer-aided design resources, saving both time and money. The software was a perfect fit for the low-cost, quick-turnaround safety improvement the team had in mind.
The system was installed in September 2024, taking about two weeks to complete by district highway maintenance contractor New Enterprise Stone and Lime Company, Inc. of New Enterprise, Pa. The curb system was installed within the footprint of a two-way center turn lane, connecting to an existing section of concrete median barrier and running east to the intersection with Route 846 at the west end of the Clarks Ferry Bridge.
This restricted turning movements to right in/right out only through the corridor, with detours to nearby exits for travelers to loop back to achieve a left turn.
The improvement was immediate, with crashes reduced to nearly zero. The cost-benefit ratio showed the approximately $400,000 investment in the project was money well spent.
“We achieved a strong safety impact with a lower-cost investment, maximizing overall project value,” said Reis. “This project demonstrated how we can use quick-turnaround, low-cost solutions and modern technology to quickly implement highly effective projects.”
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