On Thursday, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced it had won three regional awards from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) in the organization’s America’s Transportation Awards competition.
The department won “Best Use of Technology” for its efforts during the collapse of I-95 Cottman Avenue, “Operations Excellence” for its innovative approach to mitigating congestion, and “Safety” for its traffic-signal and interchange upgrades in Washington County.
On June 11, 2023, a fuel tanker carrying around 8,500 gallons of gasoline crashed on the I-95 Cottman Avenue off-ramp in Philadelphia. The crash caused an explosion and fire which collapsed the structure carrying the northbound lanes of the highway, closing the highway to an estimates 160,000 average daily vehicles.
The highway re-opened only 12 days after the crash partly due to an innovative temporary mechanically-stabilized wall system that used a new material made from recycled foamed glass aggregate to “fill the gap” and allow for a rapid highway reconstruction before a more permanent repair could be implemented, officials said.
“The I-95 collapse in Philadelphia was a test of the department’s ability to meet complex challenges with innovative solutions. We met that challenge,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “I’m proud to accept this award on behalf of the dedicated PennDOT staff who work tirelessly in service of Pennsylvanians.”
Officials said that in 11 corridors of the state, PennDOT has implemented active traffic management systems to collect and use crash data to reduce additional crash risk. The system has reduced crashes in those corridors by 183, including 96 rear-end crashes, 86 injury crashes and seven fatal crashes.
“Road safety is the primary concern for the department,” Carroll said. “Our crews are utilizing cutting-edge transportation technology to reduce crashes and improve outcomes.”
And in Washington County, PennDOT and local officials reduced congestion along Route 18 through holistic redesign of the intersection at Route 844. The intersection was update to include new crosswalks, coordinated traffic signals, pedestrian signal heads and push buttons, audible pedestrian signals and the consolidation of multiple driveway access points. The new interchanges alleviates congestion and supports additional modes of transportation, officials said.
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