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Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Engineering District 11-0

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Engineering District 11-0. Local Government Academy Newly Elected Officials Workshop January 28, 2006. H. Daniel Cessna, P.E. District Executive, PennDOT District 11. PennDOT Engineering District 11.

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Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Engineering District 11-0

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  1. Pennsylvania Department of TransportationEngineering District 11-0 Local Government Academy Newly Elected Officials Workshop January 28, 2006 H. Daniel Cessna, P.E. District Executive, PennDOT District 11

  2. PennDOT Engineering District 11 Our Vision: Customer driven, intermodal transportation system and services that enhance the quality of life in Pennsylvania. Our Mission: Through the active involvement of customers, employees and partners, PennDOT provides services and a safe intermodal transportation system that attract businesses and residents and stimulate Pennsylvania’s economy.

  3. What is PennDOT District 11? • Responsible for Allegheny, Lawrence, and Beaver counties • 788 employees • 2,171 bridges • 2,576 linear roadway miles • Four tunnels

  4. The PennDOT-Municipal Partnership We will discuss: • Responsibilities • Traffic Controls • Agility • Home Town Streets • 12-year program • Municipal Services

  5. Responsibilities Traffic Controls • PennDOT is responsible for the installation and maintenance of the necessary signs along State-maintained roadways and intersections • Changes on State Routes (SR) requiring PennDOT engineering study include: • one-way streets • stop or yield controls • no-passing zones • turn restrictions • Requests should be made in writing by the local municipality.

  6. Responsibilities Speed Limits • Changes on SRs require PennDOT engineering traffic study. • Requests must be in writing from the local municipality.   • PennDOT sign maintenance responsibility = 40 mph and greater.   • Below 40 mph = local municipality.   • If lower speed limit is approved, municipality must pay cost for new signs.

  7. Responsibilities Traffic Signals/Flashing Beacons • Traffic signals are the responsibility of the local municipality to place, operate, and maintain. • For new signals at existing intersections, PennDOT will perform a warrant study. • Requires written verification that municipality will assume all costs associated with the installation and maintenance of the traffic signal. • Warrants 1) traffic volumes, 2) accident history, and 3) the geometrics of the intersection.

  8. Responsibilities If a traffic signal is warranted: • PennDOT will notify the municipality in writing. • Required application forms must be completed within two weeks of warrant analysis. • Upon receipt of forms, PennDOT will design the signalized intersection and issue a permit and permit condition diagram to the municipality. • Within two months of receipt of the completed forms, the municipality will receive the permit and permit condition diagram. • Municipality may then solicit for bids.

  9. Responsibilities School Zone Speed Limits • Municipality and/or school district responsibility • PennDOT having final approval. • The study should consider: • Arrival and departure times of students • Geometric review roadway cross sections, horizontal and vertical alignment • Pedestrian (school children) volumes • School route plan

  10. Responsibilities School Zone Speed Limits • If school zones can be established, a permit and permit condition diagram will be issued to the municipality.   • Once a permit is issued, PennDOT does not have any further involvement, except to inspect the completed installation for compliance with the permit. • The jurisdictional municipality is responsible for funding the installation and subsequent maintenance of any flashing school speed limit signs and/or flat sheet aluminum signs.

  11. Responsibilities Parades • The jurisdictional municipality is responsible for submitting a “Road Closure Request Form” to PennDOT two weeks prior to the event. • A detailed map indicating the roads to be closed and the detour routes to be used must be submitted with the road closure request form.

  12. Responsibilities Banners • Requires written request to PennDOT by municipality: • Description of the device being used (sign, banner, etc.) • Size of the device (length and width) • Proposed location of the device • Approximate date of device installation and removal • A statement from the municipality assuming responsibility for erecting, maintaining and removing the devices, and any liability that might result. • Written consent from PennDOT is required before installing the devices.

  13. Responsibilities Why are highways posted? • Not designed to support the heavy truckloads they presently carry.   • Many of these highways are being damaged.    • Posting and bonding policies require heavy haulers to be financially responsible for excess maintenance on the highways they use.   Who determines if a highway must be posted? • Posting authority for State-owned highways is PennDOT.   • Local governments are the posting authority for locally owned highways.  

  14. Responsibilities Drainage • Within a municipality, PennDOT is only responsible for drainage within State right-of-way. • PennDOT, within borough or municipal limits, is responsible for drainage within the curb line including inlet grates on State Routes. The borough or municipality is responsible for everything under the road surface including pipes and inlets. • Property owners are responsible for cleaning and maintaining drive pipes on State right-of-way.

  15. Home Town Streets • Governor Rendell announced the four-year, $200 million ($50 million each year) Home Town Streets and Safe Routes to Schools program in his 2004 budget address to the Legislature. • The program, part of the Governor’s Growing Greener initiative, encourages the reinvestment in and redevelopment of downtowns and establish, where feasible, safe walking routes for children to commute to school. • Contact: Robert Slagel, Enhancement Coordinator – 412.429.4926

  16. Agility • Agility is a program introduced by PennDOT, which makes it possible to work with partners to provide additional services to all residents of Pennsylvania. • This also permits PennDOT to make agreements with its partners to share services, equipment, commodities and human resources.

  17. Agility How Does Agility Work? • A meeting is scheduled with the PennDOT representative and potential partners. • Each partner offers suggestions or a “wish list” for services, equipment or resources. • A dollar value is assigned for these services, equipment or resources. • Each partner reviews the items and an agreement for an equal value of services is reached. • Each partner becomes a winner. These services are provided, with no additional monetary expense. Who Are PennDOT’s Partners? • Partners include AFSCME, local municipalities, businesses, civic organizations, other State agencies, etc.

  18. Agility Examples of Agility Projects: • Local municipalities cleaning bridges or mowing along state highways in exchange for shoulder cutting on Township roads. • Township employees attending Department training in exchange for sweeping State highways. • Contact: County Maintenance Office

  19. Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) • Pennsylvania Act 120, passed in 1970, established the Department of Transportation, State Transportation Commission (STC), and the 12-Year Transportation Program. • The Act requires PennDOT to “prepare and submit every even numbered year prior to the first day of September, to the State Transportation Commission for its consideration, a program which it recommends to be undertaken by the Department of Transportation during the following twelve fiscal years.”

  20. Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Types of Projects on 12-Year Program • Safety Corridors • Interstate Restoration • Major Capital Improvements • State and Local Bridge Bill • Park ‘N’ Ride Facilities • Traffic Signals • Enhancement Projects

  21. Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Update Process • Begins during the summer of the odd numbered years, (example 2003, 2005) • During the fall, the STC, PennDOT, MPOs (Metropolitan Planning Organization) and LDDs (Local Developmental District) conduct public involvement activities to identify candidate projects. • During the winter, PennDOT updates estimated costs/schedules for all candidate projects and carry over projects. • Project priorities and information are finalized by PennDOT, MPOs and LDDs.

  22. Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Update process (cont.) • Candidate lists of highway, bridge and transit projects for possible inclusion into the new program are shared. Rail Freight and Aviation projects are also solicited by their respective sponsors. • During the spring of the even numbered years (this spring), MPOs and LDDs meet individually with PennDOT to review all candidate projects to negotiate/resolve any remaining issues. • Preliminary draft TIP is submitted • MPOs, LDDs, PennDOT and STC reach agreement on the respective portions of the program, perform air quality analyses (if necessary) and open 30 day public comment periods.

  23. Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) • During the summer of the even numbered years (i.e. 2006), the STC approves the 12-Year Program. • STIP (State Transportation Improvement Program), which is the first four-year period of the 12-Year Program is submitted to FHWA (Federal Highway Administration) and FTA (Federal Transportation Authority) for approval. • In the fall of the even numbered years, PennDOT obtains joint approval from FHWA and FTA for the new program. • New 2007-2009 TIP will be enacted on October 1, 2006.

  24. Municipal Services Liquid Fuels Tax Funds Act 655 • The District’s Municipal Services Unit administers the Liquid Fuels Tax Funds with local governments and counties.   • The amount of a municipality’s allocation is based on its population and miles of roads on their approved Liquid Fuels Inventory.  

  25. Municipal Services Liquid Fuels Tax Funds Act 655 • To be placed on the system: • a road must have a minimum of 33’ right-of-way in a township and 16’ in a borough.   • The “cartway” (drivable surface) must be a minimum width of 16’, and the road must be a minimum of 250’ in length.   • If the road is a dead end, it must have a cul de sac (turnaround) at the end with a minimum 40’ radius. • To continue to receive Liquid Fuels funds, a road must be maintained in such a condition that it can be driven safely at 15 mph.

  26. Municipal Services Highway Transfer Program Act 32 • In 1983, Act 32 was passed, which created the Highway Transfer (Turnback) Program. • In this strictly volunteer program, PennDOT identifies roads on its secondary system that would be good candidates for this program • Proposed roads are discussed with local officials.   • If turnback is considered, Municipal Services meets with them, and a listing is prepared of all repairs needed to bring the road up to an acceptable condition.  A cost estimate is then prepared by PennDOT.   • Once the figures are agreed upon, the local officials pass a resolution showing their intent to participate in the turnback program.  This resolution is then submitted to Harrisburg for approval and funding.  

  27. Municipal Services Highway Transfer Program Act 32 • Upon approval, an agreement is executed which officially turns the road over to the municipality.   • The municipality then receives a check for the amount previously agreed upon. • This money must be kept in a separate fund and used to do the needed repairs. • After a one year waiting period, the municipality receives an annual $2,500 per mile allocation for the turned back road.

  28. Municipal Services Bridge Bill Program • This unit also assists in administering the local bridge projects on the Department’s Bridge Bill Program.  Local bridges, which are on this program, are funded one of three ways: • If the traffic volumes on the bridge are above 500 ADT, the project can be funded with Federal participation at 80%, State 15%, and Local 5%. •  Selected projects will be funded at 80% Federal with 20% Local matching funds. •  Remaining local bridge projects in this program are funded at State 80% and Local 20%.

  29. Municipal Services Information Source • Township News magazine – published by the Pennsylvania Association of Township Supervisors. • Borough News magazine – published by the Pennsylvania Association of Boroughs (PSAB). • Websites: • www.boroughs.org. • The State Township Association website is www.psats.org.

  30. District 11 Contacts Offices: • District Office • 412.429.5000 • Allegheny County • 412.781.3260 • Beaver County • 724.774.6610 • Lawrence County • 724.656.3104

  31. District 11 Contacts Municipal Services: • Richard Fusia (Supervisor) 412.429.4813 • Dan Woodall 412.429.4809 • Jon Johnson 412.429.4812 Local Projects Engineer (bridge and road projects: • Ron Todorowski 412.429.4905

  32. Stay informed: http://www.dot.state.pa.us/district11

  33. Questions and Answers? Thank you

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