Along with providing quality Transportation Engineering and related services since 1989, TPD is consistently recognized for dedication to improving quality of life for both staff members and surrounding communities. The company has been ranked among the Top 15 Best Places to Work In PA for eight consecutive years and has been hailed by Civil Engineering News magazine as one of the Best Civil Engineering Firms to Work for in the United States for nine consecutive years.  Furthermore, TPD’s plans, designs, and construction services are held in high regard by several industry professional societies which recognize the firm’s commitment to the safe and efficient transportation of people and goods.

Since 1989, TPD has recognized the direct link between developing a staff of top-notch professionals and providing superior quality and service to our clients and ultimately the traveling public.  Therefore, TPD is committed to providing exceptional staff benefits, including flexible schedules, to encourage a healthy Work/Life Balance.  From PA offices in Pittsburgh, Pottstown, Harrisburg, and the Lehigh Valley, and a NJ office on the Camden Waterfront, TPD’s 110 members specialize in Roadway Design, Bridge Design and Inspection, Transportation Planning, Traffic Signal System Design, Municipal Transportation Engineering Services, Environmental Permitting / Services, Construction Management and Inspection and Contractor Services / Design/Build for a diverse range of clients in both the public and private sectors. Visit TPD on the web at www.TrafficPD.com, on Facebook, and on Twitter @TrafficPD.

In newly-minted Governor Tom Corbett’s budget proposal, a one paragraph statement could aid developers, including homebuilders, in moving plans to reality.  Page 48 of the proposal states: “Regulatory Reform: Friction-free processes for government interaction with job creators are critical to maintain economic momentum and competitiveness. State government needs to be a partner with job creators. To address the length of time agencies take to act on permits and eliminate permit backlogs, PennDOT and DEP have begun auditing and assessing all of their permit processes to make them more responsive to the needs of job creators. In addition, the DCED secretary is empowered to expedite any permit or action pending in any agency where the creation of jobs may be impacted.” It seems as though the Governor has heard the concerns from the development community regarding the length of obtaining permits, and is doing something about it.  In recent experience, PennDOT has certainly heard the call from the Governor for not only tracking the permitting processes, but also providing reviews and feedback in a more expeditious manner.  It seems the new administration has put the agencies, including PennDOT, to task, and they are responding.  But PennDOT is not only looking to expedite the process, but also make it more user-friendly.  PennDOT is planning future meetings at centralized locations within the Commonwealth with developers, to not only lay out the goals of turnaround times, but to gain feedback on how the changes are being received, and to listen to any additional concerns the Department can work to address.  In addition to these meetings, PennDOT will be soliciting feedback through anonymous response cards.

In reviewing the turnaround times for reviews and permits, PennDOT is tracking several metrics including the number of review cycles per permit, the number of days for review, and the number of days for the approval.  As part of this tracking, PennDOT will not only be evaluating the amount of time a review takes, but will also track how long the re-submissions are taking.  As with anything, this move toward the end result of permitting is contingent on not only PennDOT’s turnaround times, but also the developers moving forward on their end.

In order to track the progress of permits, to make the experience more applicant-friendly, and to expedite the process in general, PennDOT is in the process of developing a web-based submission and tracking system.  The ultimate goal would be electronic submissions of applications and plans, which, in addition to being a quicker delivery system, would allow the applicants to track the submission process.  This would lead to a transparency unavailable in years past.

Again, the permitting process is a two-way street.  PennDOT appears to be doing their part to move the process in a positive manner.  Developers should follow suit by addressing concerns in a timely manner and when asked, providing feedback as to how the process can be improved.  PennDOT’s ears seem to be open, so now is the time to make your concerns known.  Constructive criticism from the development community can help this process become more efficient.

As discussions are held and changes are made, TPD will provide the latest updates to existing and potential clients.  If you have any questions regarding the approval process, please contact Matt Hammond at 610-326-3100 or MHammond@TrafficPD.com.

The use of energy-efficient traffic signals and streetlights permits local municipalities to significantly reduce energy bills – but how can cash-strapped local governments implement a replacement strategy during these tough economic times?  One solution is to take advantage of rebate programs available through local power companies such as PECO and PP&L.  Each of these companies have launched “Smart Ideas” programs that provides rebates and cash incentives for installing electric energy-efficiency measures, including energy-efficient traffic signals and streetlights. For a listing of these rebates and an application form, please visit the following links:

• https://www.pecosmartideas.com/programsandrebates/business/equipmentincentives.html
• http://www.rebate-zone.com/ppl/traffic.asp

Have questions regarding these programs or need assistance in completing the required applications?  Please contact Greg Richardson at 610-326-3100 or GRichardson@TrafficPD.com.

Traffic Planning and Design, Inc. (TPD) was responsible for the design of the Traffic Control Plans for the Section RDC project as part of a Design/Build contract with Allan A. Myers, Inc.  For over 9 months, TPD worked with Allan A. Myers, PennDOT District 6-0, AECOM and Hill International (CM/CI Firm) to develop the Traffic Control Plans, Detour Plans, Work Zone Traffic Analysis, Temporary Pavement Design and other related maintenance and protection of traffic items.  Preliminary traffic control setup, including the installation of the crossovers and temporary widening, began in late 2009.  Reconstruction of the southbound lanes began in early 2010 and was completed by late 2010.  Reconstruction of the northbound lanes began in early 2011 and is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2011.  Final project cleanup, including removal of temporary pavement and crossovers, is scheduled for completion in the first half of 2012. 

For current project information, including project photos and traffic conditions, please visit the project website at www.476blueroute.com.

Before the real estate crash, private sector developments were contributing to prosperous economic development throughout the region.  Property owners were selling, and developers were buying ground at a dizzying pace.  Developers were able to borrow money at historically low rates, giving them the capital needed to fund municipal and Department of Transportation requests for infrastructure improvements.  Times have changed.

The number of developments proposed in the last 24 months is significantly less than in years past.  Of the developments that are currently being proposed, it is crucial that they are able to obtain approvals as quickly as possible because, as we have learned, the real estate market can change almost overnight.  Because of this, as well as the fact that numerous groups have expressed concern over the time it takes for an access permit in Pennsylvania to be issued, PennDOT has stepped up and begun the process of overhauling and tracking their access permit procedures.  In Governor Corbett’s “50 Ways to Rebuild PA,” number 8 is “Eliminate Permit backlog at state agencies like DEP and PennDOT.”

PennDOT will be looking at raw data regarding turnaround time for reviews and will be implementing a system for tracking permit applications.  Other steps that are being looked at by PennDOT include: soliciting anonymous customer feedback, having bi-weekly discussions with permit managers where tracking metrics will be shared, investigating financial reform for off-site improvement costs, and upcoming developer meetings in Harrisburg, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.

Compared to other states, PennDOT has taken a proactive approach to assist stakeholders. In this challenging economic time, efficient PennDOT reviews will assist with advancing projects which are desperately needed to jumpstart economic recovery. 

As discussions are held and changes are made, TPD will provide the latest updates to existing and potential clients.  If you have any questions regarding the approval process, please contact Matt Hammond at 610-326-3100 or MHammond@TrafficPD.com.

The revised Strike-Off Letter amended the use of TC-8801 – Traffic Signal Supports.  Under the revised Strike-Off Letter, each PennDOT District Executive now has the discretion whether the use of the new Traffic Standard TC-8801 or the previous Traffic Standard TC-7800 Series may be specified and accepted.  This change applies to traffic signal projects a) to be advertised prior to June 15, 2011, b) already advertised, c) in the award process, or d) in construction.

PennDOT is currently in the process of reevaluating the TC-8801 – Traffic Signal Support standards to specifically address foundation sizes, pedestal type structures and the number of anchor bolts needed.  PennDOT anticipates that the revised standards will be released on June 15, 2011.

It is important to note that the revised Strike-Off Letter only amends TC-8801 – Traffic Signal Support and that the remaining standards found in Publication 148 have not been amended.

With this revised Strike-Off Letter, if municipalities intend to start any new traffic signal construction prior to June 15, 2011, it would be advisable to contact PennDOT District personnel to verify the District’s position on the use of TC-8801 – Traffic Signal Supports.

Traffic Planning and Design, Inc. (TPD) was contracted by Republic Services to provide Design, Permitting, and Construction Management services for the Shiloh Road Relocation Project.  Republic Services desired to relocate an approximate one-mile portion of Shiloh Road which ran through their property.  With this relocation, the Conestoga Landfill could be expanded in order to continue accepting trash from the surrounding communities.  In contracting with TPD in the Fall of 2009, Republic Services emphasized the following objectives:

• TPD was to act as the Project Manager and coordinate all design, permitting, and agency coordination tasks necessary to proceed to construction.
• Construction had to begin in early 2010 and conclude by Fall 2010.
• The design for the Shiloh Road Relocation Project had to be consistent with previous environmental permitting for the Conestoga Landfill expansion.
• The grading for the Shiloh Road Relocation Project had to be consistent with future construction of landfill cells.
• TPD was to minimize impacts to a property and an existing easement on the side of the project closest to I-176.
• The Project had to satisfy Borough and agency requirements regarding Stormwater Management and the Act 167 Watershed Study for this area.
• Within the context of these constraints, the Project had to be value-engineered for cost effectiveness.

TPD provided the following services on the project:

• Project Management
• Coordination regarding “turnback” of Shiloh Road (turnback from PennDOT to the two municipalities)
• Roadway Design
• Stormwater Management Design
• Preparation of Erosion and Sediment Pollution Control Plan
• Preparation of reports, plans, and applications for Stream Crossing Permit and NPDES Permit
• Coordination with PennDOT regarding potential impacts to I-176 (especially the Shiloh Road bridges over I-176, and stormwater discharge towards I-176)
• Preparation of items, quantities, tabulation sheets, and construction cost estimates
• Preparation of bid package, and bid management
• Construction oversight and management.

Starting with aerial and ground survey provided by the Project Surveyor (Spotts Stevens, and McCoy, Inc.), TPD utilized Inroads software to create a 3-D surface of the project area.  Then, TPD ran iterations of the horizontal alignment and vertical profile for the relocated road in order to maximize the efficiency of the design, given the objectives listed above.  The Inroads modeling allowed for detailed estimates of key parameters (such as earth excavation) at all phases of the design.  The 3-D modeling was also instrumental in assuring compatibility between the Shiloh Road design and the designs for future landfill cells that will be built adjacent to the relocated road.   

The project involved the turnback of Shiloh Road from PennDOT to the two municipalities (New Morgan Borough and Caernarvon Township).   This process involved extensive coordination with all parties to ensure the accuracy of documents and the timeliness of the process.  The turnback was completed in mid 2010 so that the relocated portion of Shiloh Road could be opened to traffic in October 2010.

In conjunction with other members of the Project Team (including Taylor GeoServices and Cornerstone Environmental Group), TPD’s designers prepared the Stormwater Management Plan and a comprehensive E&S Plan for the construction.  Stormwater Management features included four infiltration basins, grass-lined swales, and underground storage.   The E&S Plan and phasing sequence included not only the relocated road itself, but also two stockpile areas and related haul roads to handle the large amount of excavation for the Project (over 0.25 million cubic yards).    Two of the four infiltration basins were first utilized as sediment control basins curing the construction, before being converted to their permanent infiltration uses late in the project construction.

The Shiloh Road Project was opened on time and under budget in October 2010.

As the Greater Philadelphia region is challenged to identify opportunities for growth and economic development, private developers are seeing bright spots in the market for luxury apartment/residential communities and mixed-use commercial uses that are desirable to future residents and tenants.  In lieu of finding a large tract of land/green space far from central business districts, many developers, with the assistance of local municipalities, are turning to the redevelopment of existing sites which have the potential to boost local economies.  One example of these types of projects is Transit Oriented Developments.

Transit Oriented Developments, or “TOD’s,” are communities that are structured to promote and maximize transit and non-motorized transportation, and with other features, to encourage transit ridership.  Along with revitalizing downtowns and commercial areas, TOD’s improve housing choice and affordability.  Sites along the SEPTA regional rail lines and the PATCO lines, which were once predominantly manufacturing and warehouse areas, are becoming available for this type of redevelopment. 

These revitalized communities continue to become more physically and socially desirable places to live, as state and federal funding are being invested in streetscape enhancements, façade programs, bike and pedestrian trail infrastructure, and other multi-modal amenities, hence the stable market to allow for private investment.  The easy access to a regional commuter rail line or bus line allows a developer to market the residential portion of the project to a larger and more diverse demographic since a resident will be less constrained by the proximity of commuting to/from employment centers.  In addition, more options for downtown shopping, dining, and entertainment are favored by a range of residents, from young professionals to empty-nesters.

Developers may incur less infrastructure costs imposed by local municipalities during their permitting process since they may take advantage of over-designed or underutilized infrastructure already in place (i.e. utilities).  From a transportation planning perspective, not only are some of the major arterials and routes accessing the site underutilized due to industry having left the area a long time ago, but the sites generally generate less traffic than typical suburban projects of the same scale due to the ability for mass-transit access for commuters and pedestrian access for shoppers in the downtown area.  This leads to fewer roadway improvements and smaller transportation impact fees, if applicable.

The benefits for the developer, although impressive, pale in comparison to the benefits for the municipality and community in general.  Any redevelopment project which takes an abandoned or underutilized site and turns it into a vibrant, welcoming, tax-generating use is a positive situation for communities which are seeking to revitalize. 

The same reduced-traffic benefits that the developer sees are also experienced by the local community.  Reduced congestion and automobile ownership lowers family transportation expenses and gives these residents more disposable income to spend on shopping within the local business district.  All of these benefits should be communicated to the local municipality during the permitting process.

Government agencies, such as SEPTA, the Delaware River Port Authority, PennDOT, NJDOT, the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, local Transportation Management Associations (TMAs), and local municipalities have greatly supported TODs in areas that have realized the benefits of locating residential and mixed-use development close to transit centers.  The Urban Land Institute (ULI) and the Pennsylvania Environmental Council, to name a few groups, have been aggressive in bringing private and public entities together to discuss the benefits of these developments.  Efforts by public-private partnerships also lead to creative financing solutions that promote these developments.

The creation of desirable communities within existing business/employment/cultural districts which are located within walking distance of transit centers leads to benefits enjoyed by developers, local municipalities, and residents. 

Throughout history, a strong infrastructure has been the foundation for which a thriving civilization is built upon.  From the building of roads and bridges to the design of traffic signals at congested intersections, it is essential to place a high priority in preserving their intended function.  Over the past decade the United States has witnessed the crumbling of its infrastructure.  With a continued focus on bridge maintenance and rehabilitation, this has left little funding for other improvements.  As indicated in the Transportation Advisory Committee’s funding report, Pennsylvania’s infrastructure is currently underfunded by $3.5 Billion annually.  In Pennsylvania, Title 67 Section 212.5 places the responsibility on local municipalities to install and maintain traffic control devices.

Over the past several years, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has been working with the traffic signal pole manufacturers and its personnel to update the PennDOT traffic signal design standards to be in compliance with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) “Standard Specifications for Structural Supports for Highway Signs, Luminaires and Traffic Signals”.  On October 14, 2010, PennDOT released an updated design publication, Publication 148 – “Traffic Standards – Signals (TC 8800 Series)”, which had not previously been updated since 1988 and referenced design specifications from 1975.  Since an update to this specification has not occurred in some time, several significant modifications have occurred regarding the traffic signal structural supports which will directly impact municipalities.  These publication standards apply to all traffic signal permit plans approved after October 14, 2010.  The most significant changes include:

• The size of traffic signal indications, signs, and the amount of equipment on each traffic signal pole requires that the additional wind and ice loadings be supported.
• The addition of new Fatigue Design requirements for the connections of the traffic signal mast arm support structures.  In most cases, the Fatigue Design is the driving criteria for sizing traffic signal mast arm support structures.  This design criterion is now consistent with PennDOT’s traffic sign and ITS standards.
• Increases in the foundation widths and depths are due to the several factors which include conservative soil parameters and additional loading and wind surface area.  Previous foundations designs did not take into account caisson calculations in which PennDOT now uses for all of its structural pole foundation calculations.

Recent issues with installation, inspection, and maintenance of traffic signal structural supports has caused PennDOT to focus on updating Publication 148.  PennDOT has worked with several structural manufactures to ensure that each was approved prior to the issuance of Publication 148.

With significant time lapsing between when the PennDOT standards were updated and the AASHTO specification requirements were updated, the result will tremendously affect the installation and replacement costs of traffic signal structural supports.  This will create many challenges for local governments to budget improvements appropriate for the maintenance and replacement of traffic signal structural supports.  Additionally, several concerns have been raised recently by local contractors which will be reflected in labor and material costs include:

• New construction equipment (larger augers) has to be purchased to meet the updated foundation requirements in Publication 148.
• With larger trucks in use for longer periods of time, more complicated work zone traffic control, including possible intersection closures and detours, may be necessary.
• With increases in foundation widths and depths, utility lines such as water, gas, and electric could pose an even greater challenge during installation.
• Foundation depths can also affect the type of material that augers will have to dig through.  In some instances, very hard materials, such as blue limestone, can be encountered, which affects the time and equipment used to dig to such depths.  In other instances, underground springs or water courses can be encountered, which can require additional construction techniques such as the use of caissons for installation of foundations.
• Increases to the size and number of anchor bolts which will contribute to increased labor and shipping costs.

There are exemptions for traffic signal support replacements which PennDOT identified in the Strike-Off Letter for the updated publication.  This states that if a pole needs replacement and the following two conditions are met, the existing support will be considered:

• The affected municipality has an existing stockpile of NEW traffic signal structural supports purchased prior to October 14, 2010.
• The municipality provides verification (signed and sealed from a Professional Engineer, licensed in Pennsylvania) attesting to the structural adequacy of the existing foundation and the suitability of the stockpiles signal support material for its intended use and location.

However, beware of the above exemptions.  Most contractors will not reuse old foundations, especially in the case of a pole knockdown.  Accordingly, it is very unlikely that a Professional Engineer will certify an existing pole foundation.  Proper certification would likely require expensive testing to determine the required foundation depth, rebar layout, and anchor bolt length which because of the testing procedure may render the foundation useless.  Certification of the stockpiles of NEW signal support material would require a comparative review of the loadings supported per the manufacturer’s shop drawings to the loadings required per the actual use and location (i.e. the quantity/size of signal heads, back plates, and signs intended to be supported vs. the actual quantity/size to be supported).

It is expected the cost of traffic signal supports will initially be 2 to 2.5 times their current cost.  Time will tell if this estimated increase is accurate as contractors become more familiar with these updated standards.  In the mean time, municipalities should consider this cost increase when budgeting for traffic signal installations and upgrades.

In these roles, I see firsthand the inadequacies of our transportation system due to a lack of funding.  I see the international companies with North American headquarters that relocate from Pennsylvania to other states that have the necessary funding to upgrade their transportation system to enable these companies to get their employees to work and their products to market more efficiently.  While TPD works on these projects regardless of what state the international company locates in, it is painful to see the loss of these jobs and their associated tax revenues to another state because Pennsylvania cannot adequately address their transportation needs.

I also see firsthand the impacts of congestion on quality of life.  With daily backups of eight miles or more on Route 422, commute times for users are 30 to 45 minutes longer than they need to be.  When most people think of the quality of life impacts from this congestion, they focus on the fact that these commuters will now have one hour less to spend with their families everyday.  As a transportation engineer, I focus more on the impact of what happens when these commuters jump off of Route 422 and instead use arterials like Route 724, Route 29, and Route 23 and worse yet use back roads like Whitehorse Road, Charlestown Road, Country Club Road, and Yellow Springs Road to avoid the congestion on Route 422.  Traffic safety along these alternate roadways is compromised when traffic is forced onto them.  Teenage drivers find it more difficult to get in and out of their driveways.  Parents are less inclined to let their kids stand at the end of their driveways to wait for the school bus.  Bicyclists who love riding along these bucolic roadways must share the 10 foot lanes with no shoulders with motorists driving 45 miles per hour.

I see firsthand the impacts of our deteriorating bridge system on highway users.  I see bridges serving 7500 cars a day that will be closed for years for safety reasons forcing traffic onto the official detour routes and the unofficial detour routes consisting of our locally maintained back roads.  I see bridges on I-95 being shut down for emergency repairs to address the cracks in them discovered by a conscientious PennDOT inspector on his lunch break.  I see a bridge on Route 202 serving 60,000 cars a day that is supported on the four corners using 4 x 4s created by nailing together two 2 x 4s purchased from a local hardware store until money can be found for a permanent fix. 

I also see a region heavily dependent upon a SEPTA system that is at least as cash strapped, if not more so, than PennDOT is.  When you go to some of the electrical substations such as at Wayne Junction, you see a system nearly 100 years old that looks like it came out of a mad scientist’s lab from the black and white Frankenstein movies.  How SEPTA prevents this system from crashing and losing operating capabilities on half of their rail system is one of the great mysteries of life and testament to the acumen of their employees. SEPTA moves a million people a day which equals the populations of Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Allentown, Bethlehem Erie, Scranton, Reading, Lancaster, State College, York, and Williamsport all combined.  Furthermore, if there was no SEPTA, the congestion we see everyday on the Schuylkill Expressway, the Blue Route and I-95 for six hours from 6-9 AM and 4-7 PM would exist from 5 AM to 8 PM everyday.  While New York City is often referred to as the City that Never Sleeps, without SEPTA, Philadelphia would be referred to as the City where Traffic Never Moves.

Hopefully, my remarks will help give the public a better understanding of the challenges we face in addressing these transportation deficiencies and let them know that the men and women of PennDOT and SEPTA are doing the best with the resources that they have but need more transportation funding to ensure that everyone is able to travel safely every day.