HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Secretary Leslie S. Richards announced that project-planning collaboration and outreach with more than 750 municipalities is complete on more than 1,850 projects through the department’s PennDOT Connects transportation planning process.
Successful project examples and more details on the initiative appear in a newly released PennDOT Connects Implementation report, which updates the public and partners on the deployment of the department’s initiative that was implemented in 2016.
The new approach to project planning and development expands the department’s requirements for engaging local and planning partners by requiring collaboration with stakeholders before project scopes are developed. PennDOT Connects aims to transform capital and maintenance project development by ensuring that community collaboration happens early, and that each project is considered in a holistic way for opportunities to improve safety, mobility, access, and environmental outcomes for all modes and local contexts. Earlier collaboration will ensure that projects meet current and projected needs as much as possible and can reduce costly changes later in the project development process.
Specific areas for discussion during collaboration include but are not limited to: safety issues; bicycle/pedestrian accommodations; transit access; stormwater management; utility issues; local and regional plans and studies; freight-generating land uses and more.
The report outlines successful projects emerging from the PennDOT Connects approach across the state, such as 11 bridges in Lackawanna County: Coordinating with the City of Scranton to improve traffic flow, coordinate construction schedules, and enhance bicycle/pedestrian accommodation as part of a series of bridge rehabilitation/replacement projects.
