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Meade Avenue Relocation Recognized with Dauphin County Premier Project Award

January 26, 2016/in Company News /by Judy Lincoln

The Dauphin County Planning Commission honored the Meade Avenue Relocation project at its 4^th Annual Premier Projects Award Ceremony on January 12, 2016.

HRG served as the civil engineer for this project, which involved reconstructing and upgrading one mile of University Drive and relocating Meade Avenue. These improvements increased safety on the Penn State Harrisburg campus by providing an alternate route for truck traffic that had previously crossed through campus to access the Capital Business Center.

The project was one phase of a long-term transportation planning effort in which HRG worked with diverse stakeholders from the university, Lower Swatara Township, the Susquehanna Area Regional Airport Authority, Jednota Estates and others to address conflicting traffic patterns that were limiting economic development in the area and endangering safety.

It was chosen for recognition in the Infrastructure category because it demonstrates the link between infrastructure and economic development while providing an example of how to achieve consensus among community groups with diverse and seemingly incompatible needs.

Chris Bauer, the project’s engineering manager, said, “We want to congratulate Lower Swatara Township for their leadership and initiative in bringing these groups together for the betterment of the community. We are proud to be a part of the improvements this long-term planning is bringing to the region.”

ABOUT HERBERT, ROWLAND & GRUBIC, INC.

Originally founded in 1962, HRG has grown to be a nationally ranked Top 500 Design Firm, providing civil engineering, surveying and environmental services to public and private sector clients. The 200-person employee-owned firm currently has office locations in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. For more information, please visit our website at www.hrg-inc.com.

Reduce Speeding with Speed Humps and Other Traffic Control Techniques

August 31, 2015/in Insights-Municipal, Insights-Transportation /by Judy Lincoln

Many municipalities have a speeding problem in their neighborhood and wish to address complaints from their residents about safety concerns that result from excessive speed on quiet streets. While those residents often think a stop sign or reduced speed limit will correct the issue, studies indicate that unnecessary stop signs can actually increase speeds on local roads, and speed limits that are reduced below engineering standards are typically ignored.

In a previous post, we explained that the best way to reduce excessive speeding in a neighborhood is to combine education of the community with increased enforcement by police and the construction of engineering techniques that force drivers to slow down. There are many different traffic calming techniques, ranging from planting trees to constructing geometric roadway improvements. In this article, we describe some common techniques, their cost, and their effectiveness.

Photo by pml2008. Used under a Creative Commons license.

Street Trees

For a much lower cost than many of the other techniques discussed here, street trees have proven speed and accident reduction power. They also increase the aesthetic value of a neighborhood, reduce pollution, and maintain cooler temperatures, making them a very cost-effective improvement to a community.

Street trees are typically placed at 15-30 foot intervals and must be carefully located to ensure they provide clear sight lines and do not block street lights or utilities. When designed properly, street trees can reduce speeds between 3 to 15 miles per hour, according to studies cited by urban designer Dan Burden. They also reduce the number of crashes (between 5-20 percent in one study conducted in Toronto).

Though the exact reason for this speed and accident reduction is not known for certain, several theories exist. Some say the trees act as a visual wall that makes drivers more aware of a possible pedestrian presence. Others point to the calming effect trees have on us psychologically, suggesting that a calmer mood causes drivers to slow down.

Average cost: Since tree species vary by region, this cost can also vary widely. However, the average planting cost is between $250 to $650.

Photo by Robert Drudl. Used under a Creative Commons license.

Speed Humps

The most commonly used of the traffic calming measures, speed humps are rounded, raised areas of pavement that are placed every 300-600 feet on local roads. They typically include pavement markings and warning signage on the approaches, so that drivers are aware of their presence.

Speed humps can vary in height between 3 and 4 inches. Studies indicate that, if implemented correctly, these humps will cause drivers to reduce their speed anywhere between 4 to 23 miles per hour.

While well-designed speed humps are effective at reducing speeds on local roads, they should not be used on major collectors, bus routes or primary emergency response routes because they slow down emergency response vehicles (up to 3-5 seconds per hump for fire trucks and up to 10 seconds per hump for ambulances carrying patients).

Average cost: According to published information, the cost of speed humps can range from $1,000 to $6,900, and the average is approximately $2,500.

Photo by Andrew Bossi. Used under a Creative Commons license.

Speed Table (a.k.a. flat-top speed humps)

A speed table is similar to speed humps, but the humps are longer: They are typically designed so that the entire wheelbase of a vehicle can rest on top. Speed tables have a flat section on top and ramps on either side, and textured materials such as brick may be used on the flat section.

They do not produce as jarring a ride as speed humps, so they are preferred by emergency responders; however, drivers typically do not reduce their speed as much as they would with humps, as a result.

When used as raised crosswalks, speed tables increase the likelihood that drivers yield to pedestrians, so they are a good choice for increasing pedestrian safety in a neighborhood.

Average cost: According to published information, the cost of speed tables can range from $1,000 to $6,900, and the average is approximately $2,500.

Roundabout

Many people often think of traffic circles and roundabouts as being interchangeable, but they are not. Traffic circles are often more confusing and simply involve building a raised circular island in an intersection. A modern roundabout will also typically include a raised circular island, but it will include flared approaches. Flared approaches align the vehicle to the right of the center island so that merging of traffic is accomplished more easily, and it eliminates confusion. In addition, splitter islands with yield signs are typically included on each leg approaching the intersection, which helps drivers perceive a change in the roadway is coming and proceed with caution.

Roundabouts can reduce speeds between 15 to 25 miles per hour within the roundabout, and they are very effective at reducing crash frequency in residential neighborhoods (as much as 77 percent in one study) as well as crash severity.

Though new to Pennsylvania, they have been used safely and effectively throughout the U.S. in California, Florida, Maryland, and Washington. Pennsylvania has more than 20 roundabouts throughout the state, and another 40 are currently proposed. (You can watch traffic moving through one we designed at the intersection of North Boundary and Marshall Roads in the video above.) Despite opposition from some residents who aren’t familiar with the traffic pattern, roundabouts have been proven to be safer than traditional intersection designs, and they reduce emissions versus intersections with traffic lights and stop signs. They also eliminate the energy consumption associated with operating traffic signals. As a result, federal and state governments are encouraging engineers to use roundabouts wherever possible.

Due to their high cost, roundabouts are typically only considered when intersection improvements are already necessary, as opposed to being used merely as a device to slow traffic.

Average cost: Costs vary greatly, but typically range between $350,000 to $500,000.

Photo by Robert Drdul. Used here under Creative Commons license.

Center Island Narrowing

Sometimes called mid-block medians, these islands are located along the center line of a street, thereby narrowing the lanes of travel and causing drivers to slow down slightly. The islands may help to beautify the area with landscaping and can increase the safety of pedestrians by allowing them to cross one direction of traffic at a time (waiting in the island until the other direction is clear).

Emergency responders typically prefer these islands to other traffic calming devices, but they may reduce parking and driveway access. In addition, bicyclists do not like having to share a narrowed roadway with motorists.

Average cost: Costs range between $5,000 – $15,000.

Bulbouts

Bulbouts are curb extensions that can occur mid-block or at the intersections. They narrow the roadway, forcing drivers to slow down as much as 4 percent in some studies.

While emergency responders typically prefer these to other traffic calming devices like speed tables and speed humps, bicyclists do not like sharing a narrowed roadway with motorists. (However, bulbouts can be designed to include an island that allows bike riders to continue along the original curb line.)

Pedestrians also find bulbouts useful as they can be used to decrease intersection width, providing a shorter and safer crossing for people at the intersections. This, in turn, reduces pedestrian crossing times.

But bulbouts must be carefully designed to ensure adequate drainage, and delineators should be used to make them visible to snow plows.

Average cost: Bulbout costs vary greatly but generally range between $15,000 to $25,000.

Photo by Daniel Mayer. Used under a Creative Commons license.

Raised intersections

Raised intersections typically raise the pavement to sidewalk level over the entire intersection using sloped ramps onto a flat, often textured section in the middle, and then ramping back down to roadway height after the intersection.

They are very pedestrian-friendly and reduce intersection speed significantly, but the mid-block speed reduction is less than 10 percent. In addition, they must be carefully designed to ensure proper drainage.

Average cost: Raised intersections range in cost between $25,000 to $70,000.

Most of these traffic calming devices can be used in combination with each other, and, in fact, traffic calming devices should be planned and executed throughout a neighborhood, not on isolated streets. (If the devices are only used on one or two streets, drivers typically switch to alternate routes in order to avoid them, thereby shifting the speeding problem to a new location instead of eliminating it.)

Seeking the assistance of an experienced traffic engineer is crucial to the success of a traffic calming program because many factors must be considered in applying these techniques to ensure they do not cause unintended safety hazards, hamper emergency response, or create drainage problems.

Though the cost to implement these techniques may seem high, funding is available to help municipalities. In another post, we discuss how Act 89 Multi-Modal grants can be used to fund traffic calming projects like these.

Better Roads for Less Money with Asset Management

June 25, 2015/in Insights-Local Government, Insights-Municipal, Insights-Transportation /by Judy Lincoln

Municipal managers are under pressure every day to deliver more services in spite of shrinking budgets. With only so much money available, they must make tough choices about what investments to make in their community. Though they’ve heard the benefits of asset management many times in recent years, they still don’t feel they have the money to invest in such programs – not when that money could be spent on the construction or repair of badly needed roadways, bridges, and pipes.

Many communities see asset management programs as an additional expense, but the truth is: asset management saves you more money than it costs.

Imagine a tale of two cities: both celebrating the ribbon-cutting on a brand new roadway and each taking a very different approach to caring for it.

City #1 has no asset management or capital improvement planning program. It does not assess the condition of its roadways and plan long-term investments in their upkeep. It makes repairs when the need becomes obvious.

City #1 will make moderate investments in maintenance over the next 20 years, but the condition of the roadway will steadily decline. Ten years after the ribbon-cutting celebration, the roadway condition will be fair at best. Fifteen years after, the residents who heralded its construction will be grumbling about its potholes and cracks. Twenty years after, the condition of the road will be so poor that City #1 will need to completely replace the roadway at a cost of $1.2 million per lane mile.

City #2, on the other hand, has a robust asset management and capital improvement planning program. It routinely inspects the condition of its roadways and takes proactive action to keep those roadways in top form. With investments every five years of approximately $100,000 to resurface the pavement, City #2 maintains its roadway in good condition throughout the next two decades, keeping traffic flowing smoothly, encouraging growth and development, and making residents and local businesses happy. The condition of the roadway never declines to a state where travelers complain.

Over the same 20-year-period, the residents of City #2 will ultimately have paid less money ($400,000) than City #1 ($1.2 million) but will have enjoyed better roadway conditions over the long-term.

Still think you can’t afford to invest in asset management and capital improvement planning? As these two cities show, you can’t afford not to.

Stop Speeding in Your Neighborhood

April 30, 2015/in Insights-Local Government, Insights-Municipal, Insights-Transportation /by Jared Kroh

A version of this article was printed in the September 2017 issue of Pennsylvania Borough News magazine.

A comprehensive traffic calming program that includes community education and involvement, enhanced enforcement, and engineering control is the most effective way to stop speeders and make your neighborhood safe for pedestrians.

Municipal officials frequently get calls from their residents about speeding on local streets. People are worried that they or their children might get hit by a car, or a dangerous vehicle collision could occur. These are valid concerns that need to be addressed. Unfortunately, many residents think stop signs are the way to fix the problem, and they pressure their officials to post them on their street.

But stop signs do not reduce vehicle speeds. They are meant to indicate who has the right-of-way when traffic is coming from different directions, and state DOTs require municipalities to conduct a stop sign warrant analysis to make sure the intersection meets the conditions necessary to require a complete stop. If a municipality installs a stop sign where it is not warranted, it can present liability concerns, and studies indicate that stop signs are not effective for reducing speed anyway.

Drivers respond more to roadway conditions than signage – especially if they feel that signage is in conflict with those conditions. In study after study, drivers who come to a stop-controlled intersection with no other traffic in the area frequently roll through the sign, slowing down for a few seconds rather than coming to a complete stop. Then they often speed up more aggressively after moving through the intersection to make up for lost time.

A study conducted in Michigan by Richard Beaubien and published by the Institute of Transportation Engineers showed that placing stop signs along a roadway increased driver speeds, rather than decreasing them, and studies in Boulder, Colorado, and California have had similar results.

Lowering the speed limit below typical roadway safety standards is also ineffective because most drivers travel at a speed they deem typical for the roadway conditions, rather than constantly checking their speedometer against speed limit signs.

So what can you do to stop speeding on your local roads?

Institute a neighborhood traffic calming program that emphasizes community involvement and combines education and enforcement with engineering techniques such as speed humps.

Educate your residents with a community awareness campaign
Studies and enforcement data history indicate that the majority of speeding on local roads is done by drivers who live in those neighborhoods, so a community education campaign that includes articles in the municipal newsletter or posters at community gathering places (such as schools, libraries, and recreation centers) can be very effective at increasing awareness and reducing speeds. Articles in the local newspaper or community magazine can also be helpful if the problem is significant enough to warrant it, and yard signs reminding people to slow down reinforce the point.

Back it up with enhanced enforcement
When educating the public about a speeding problem in your neighborhood, it’s important to tell them why you want to reduce speeds (including information on any crashes that may have occurred or the compromised safety of pedestrians). It’s also important to connect your education effort with enhanced enforcement by police and let people know that tickets will be issued. Education by itself will not deter speeders for long; the threat of fines is necessary to reduce speeding over the long haul.

Control speed with engineering devices (like speed humps), as needed
While education and enforcement can help reduce excessive speed in most situations, sometimes drivers need an extra nudge or reminder to slow down. A traffic engineer can help you install measures that will encourage or even force drivers to slow down such as speed humps, rumble strips, traffic islands, road narrowing, and pavement markings. (In another article in this series, we describe each of these measures, their cost, and their effectiveness.)

A comprehensive traffic calming program like this that combines education, enforcement, and engineering design can be very successful at eliminating speeding on local roads, but governing requires the consent of the governed. Therefore, the effectiveness of a traffic calming program depends most of all on how invested the community is in making it work. This makes community involvement from the earliest stages very important.

Many communities find it helpful to create a committee of residents to address traffic concerns in the neighborhood. The committee can provide information on speeding and other traffic issues and work with the municipal officials, their retained engineer, and police to devise a strategy to address them. All final decisions are made by municipal officials, but the committee plays a significant role in advising them and helping to determine a solution.

Working as a team, municipal officials, law enforcement, and residents can make roadways safer for the entire community.

For more information on traffic calming programs, read our other articles:

Speed Humps and Other Traffic Control Techniques

There are many different traffic calming techniques, ranging from planting trees to constructing geometric roadway improvements. Read a description of the most common techniques, their cost, and their effectiveness.

How to Get Grant Money For Your Infrastructure with Asset Management & Capital Improvement Planning

April 30, 2015/in Insights-Financial, Insights-Municipal, Insights-Transportation /by Jared Kroh

Benefits of Traffic Signal Retiming Outweigh Costs 40:1

April 20, 2015/in Insights-Municipal, Insights-Transportation /by Jared Kroh

This article was published in the June 2010 issue of Borough News magazine and is reprinted here with their permission.

If someone told you that you could spend as little as 1 percent of your transportation budget on an effort with up to a 40:1 return on that investment, would you believe him? If he’s talking about traffic signal retiming, you should.

Often overlooked in favor of more high profile construction projects, traffic signal retiming is an inexpensive but hugely cost-effective effort that returns wide-ranging benefits, including reduced congestion and driver delay, reduced fuel consumption, and reduced air pollution, among others. And the Institute of Transportation Engineers estimates these benefits could be gained for as little as 1% of public transportation funding but would return benefits outweighing the cost by 40:1. In this economic climate, that’s an investment that’s hard to beat.

Benefits of Traffic Signal Retiming
The goal of traffic signal retiming is to minimize the time vehicles moving in any direction have to wait at an intersection. It involves prioritizing the signals in your community; determining which signals or groups of signals exhibit the most delay; collecting data on the current operations of the signal, including traffic counts and turning movements; modeling the traffic to determine a new timing plan; adding the revised timing plan to your Traffic Signal Permit Plan; and submitting it to PennDOT for review.

Once PennDOT approves the plan, it is implemented and monitored to determine if any further fine-tuning is necessary. The primary reason municipalities consider traffic signal retiming is to reduce congestion and driver delay, but this is just one of many benefits of properly timed traffic signals:

According to studies by the Institute of Transportation Engineers, traffic signal retiming reduces motorist delay at an intersection by 15-37 percent and reduces the motorist’s overall travel time by seven to 13 percent.
Reduced travel time and delay, in turn, decreases motorist frustration.
The Institute of Transportation Engineers also estimates that properly timed signals decrease fuel consumption by six to nine percent.
Properly timed signals reduce vehicle emissions, as well, thereby improving air quality.
In addition, properly timed signals reduce the number of collisions on municipal streets by producing smoother traffic flow and fewer stops. Smoother traffic flow also reduces driver aggression.
Improving traffic flow on signalized streets minimizes the number of drivers who take side streets in order to avoid congestion on the main corridors. This will then minimize the congestion and safety problems (as well as wear and tear) caused by use of these streets beyond what they were designed to handle.

Costs and Funding Options
So why don’t more communities retime their traffic signals? Historically, traffic signal retiming has been seen as one more item in a long list of needs competing for limited public transportation funds. Plowing, salting, and paving can exhaust a significant portion of Liquid Fuels monies. If traffic signals are considered at all, it is to replace an extinguished signal lamp or to fix broken equipment.

But traffic signal retiming is an inexpensive effort that can reap huge rewards. On average, a traffic signal retiming effort costs between $1,500 and $2,500 per signalized intersection. What’s more, a creative engineer with knowledge of the transportation funding process can help you find funding sources for a traffic signal retiming effort in order to reduce the burden on your borough budget.

For example, the SAFETEA-LU federal transportation funding program included a program called Congestion Management/Air Quality (or CMAQ), which has two goals: to reduce congestion and improve air quality – two of the main benefits of traffic signal retiming. This program has been used effectively across the nation to help local communities fund traffic signal retiming efforts.

In many cases, regional organizations (such as councils of government or regional metropolitan planning organizations) have banded together using CMAQ funds to assist their local municipalities with traffic signal retiming programs. Here in Pennsylvania, the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, a metropolitan planning organization that covers 10 counties surrounding the City of Pittsburgh, engaged a consulting team of which Herbert Rowland and Grubic is a team member, embarked on such an effort in 2008 which is currently ongoing.

The federal SAFETEA-LU bill has expired and is operating under continuing resolution while a new bill is developed. It is unknown what the final form or format of the types of funding programs will be in the next bill, however it has been reported that there will be an emphasis on the reduction of congestion, greenhouse gas emissions, and improve air quality.

When should signal retiming be implemented in your community?
A municipality should develop a program for the routine traffic signal retiming of all of the signals within the community. The program should place a priority for retiming on each signal in an effort to ensure that the signals with the most impact on the traveling public are retimed most often.

The Institute of Transportation Engineers recommends that all traffic signal timing plans be re-evaluated, at minimum, every three years to account for normal growth in traffic demand. It is also important to retime signals any time new homes or businesses are constructed or a shift occurs in the location of employment centers within a community. Such changes inevitably alter traffic patterns, necessitating revisions to the traffic signal timing plans.

Who should implement signal retiming in your community?
It is important to engage professionals to aid in the development and implementation of a traffic signal retiming program. It is recommended that these professionals be individuals with specific training and experience in signal retiming and certification as a Professional Traffic Operations Engineer (PTOE). A PTOE is a person who applies a comprehensive knowledge of technology and scientific principles acquired through study and experience to the supervision of day-to-day operation of traffic systems. To become certified as a PTOE one must have a valid license to practice engineering (P.E.), a minimum of four years of experience, and pass a written certification examination.

As stewards of the public dollar, borough officials are constantly seeking the most cost-effective ways to improve the quality of life for their community, and, with benefits that outweigh the costs by 40:1, traffic signal timing is perhaps one of the best ways they can accomplish this goal.

For as little as $1,500 per intersection, your borough can enjoy wide-ranging benefits such as reduced congestion and motorist delay, reduced fuel consumption, and improved air quality. Moreover, funding is available to those who are creative in order to offset the cost of this inexpensive effort.

If your community has experienced residential or business construction or you simply have not examined your traffic signal timing in more than three years, now is the time to revisit your signal timing plans.

What You Need to Know Before Installing Roadway Signage and Traffic Control Devices

April 20, 2015/in Insights-Municipal, Insights-Transportation /by Jared Kroh

This article was published in the July 2010 issue of Borough News magazine and is reprinted here with their permission.

Installing traffic control devices such as roadway signs, traffic signals and pavement markings might appear to be a simple task, but borough officials are frequently surprised to learn that they must follow certain guidelines from PennDOT and the Pennsylvania Code (Vehicle Code) before installing most types of signage in their community. Requirements differ significantly on Borough Roads and PennDOT Roads.

What follows are some basic guidelines on what borough officials can and cannot do regarding the installation of roadway signage, traffic signals, and pavement marking.

On Borough Roads

The Borough has sole discretion on the installation of the following traffic control devices, but they must conform to the Vehicle Code, and, in many cases, must be supported by an engineering study or justification.

Stopping, Standing and Parking Restriction Signs

Boroughs must show that one of nine conditions has been met. These conditions include such considerations as roadway width, traffic flow, and sight distances, among others.

One-Way Street Signs

A one-way street can be established if several conditions are stratified such as traffic flow, geometric considerations and emergency vehicle access.

Stop or Yield Intersection Signs

Stop or yield intersection signs can be installed based on geometric conditions and traffic flow and traffic safety considerations. For all-way or multi-way stop intersections specific traffic volume guideline criteria or safety criteria must be met.

Turn Restriction Signs

Turn lane restriction signs can be installed if the restrictions would benefit safety or capacity of the intersection.

Speed Limit Signs

Boroughs must complete engineering and traffic studies to show the need for a speed reduction. In general the statutory guidance is that, in a residential district, the speed limit should be posted at 25 mph. Within an urban district, which can be generally described as an area that is built up with business or industry, the speed limit should be posted at 35 mph. All other limits should be 55 mph unless an engineering study determines that the posting should be different. These studies include spot speed studies, sight distance, and geometric studies.

Truck or Weight Restriction Signs

Structural analysis, testing and engineering judgment of the roadway’s operating characteristics and setting must be considered before a truck or weight restriction sign can be installed.

Pedestrian Crossing Restriction Signs

Pedestrian crossing restriction signs can be installed provided a pedestrian needs study is completed and supports the restriction.

PennDOT approval is required for the following traffic control devices even along borough roads:

Traffic Signals and Their Associated Pavement Markings and Signage

A traffic signal installation must be supported by a traffic signal needs study, which evaluates safety, traffic volumes, and geometric considerations.

No Turn on Red Signs

In the event that a Borough should desire to restrict right turns at an existing signal considerations for sight distance, geometric and safety must be reviewed.

School Zone Speed Limits

A speed zone can be established during the hours of arrival or departure of school students walking along or across a roadway adjacent to the school. This can be accomplished through coordination with the school district and PennDOT.

Signage for Traffic Restrictions on Borough Roads Approaching an Intersection with a State Road, such as:

Stop or Yield Signs and pavement markings
Turn restriction signs
One-way signs and lane use control signs

On State Roads

Pennsylvania Code spells out when municipalities have the authority to install, revise or remove traffic control devices and when such devices are solely under the authority of the state (PennDOT).

Traffic control devices that boroughs can install, revise or remove without PennDOT approval:

Street name signs
Crosswalk markings (except those at the middle of a block)
Parking stall markings (except new angle parking)
Curb markings at intersections
Parking meters
Stopping, standing, or parking restriction signs

Traffic control devices that boroughs can install, revise or remove only with PennDOT approval

Even though borough officials are responsible for the installation, maintenance and operation of the following types of traffic control devices, they must obtain PennDOT approval before any new devices are added. They must also obtain PennDOT approval before any existing signs or markings are changed:

Traffic signals and associated signs and markings
Speed limit signs of 35 mph or less (except those signs listed above as solely PennDOT’s responsibility)
Stop signs and yield signs at intersections
Pedestrian group signs
Street Closed signs
Entrance and crossing signs
Children Group signs
Parking Area signs
Bicycle Route signs
Traffic Signal Speed signs
Trail group signs
Pavement markings for Mid-block crosswalks
Pavement markings for bicycles
Signs and banners with the intent of advertising that are to be placed across or within PennDOT right-of-way

Traffic control devices that can only be installed, revised or removed by PennDOT

PennDOT has oversight responsibilities and authority over the following types of traffic control devices; they can only be installed, revised or removed by PennDOT:

Hazardous grade speed signs
Bridge speed limit signs
Speed limit signs at PennDOT rest areas, welcome centers and weigh stations
Deer crossing and elk crossing signs
Horse-drawn vehicle signs
Left turns and cross traffic signs
Left turns and watch for turn signs

Because of the complexity of the guidelines and the engineering studies that are required, boroughs are well-advised to enlist the support of a professional engineer when considering the installation, revision or removal of any traffic control devices in their community. A professional engineer with traffic and transportation expertise and ample experience working with state and local governments will be well-versed in the intricacies of traffic control requirements, saving borough staff the time needed to make sense of the web of policies, procedures and publications that govern traffic control in Pennsylvania.

It is further recommended that the professional engineer be certified as a Professional Traffic Operations Engineer (PTOE). A PTOE is a person who applies a comprehensive knowledge of technology and scientific principles acquired through study and experience to the supervision of day-to-day operation of traffic systems. To become certified as a PTOE one must have a valid license to practice engineering (P.E.), a minimum of four years of experience, and pass a written certification examination.

HRG’s Projects Recognized with 2014 Dauphin County Premier Project Awards

January 23, 2015/in Company News, News – Government, News-Land Development, News-Municipal, News-Transportation /by Jared Kroh

Two of Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc.’s (HRG) projects received 2014 Dauphin County Premier Project Awards. On Tuesday, January 13, 2015, Dauphin County Commissioners and the Dauphin County Planning Commission held the third annual awards event to recognize improvements that promote smart growth and revitalization within local communities.

HRG is proud to have provided engineering, surveying, and related services throughout the planning, design, and construction of the following award-winning projects.

Derry Township’s recently improved PA 743 and U.S. Route 422 historic square
The Hershey Square, was honored in the “Revitalization” category for projects above $500,000. This large-scale $13 million project is the first phase of a comprehensive plan to upgrade the existing 100-year-old transportation system within the world-renowned Hershey, Pennsylvania. Vast improvements were incorporated to keep pace with the increased traffic flow resulting from this thriving community and popular tourist destination.

Dauphin County Industrial Development Authority’s Solar Farm was recognized in the “Infrastructure” category. This project advances the use of alternative energy in Central Pennsylvania through the creation of one of the largest municipally-owned solar generation farms in Pennsylvania. This initiative is decreasing dependence on fossil fuels and generating revenue to significantly offset the County’s operational costs by 40%.

“We extend our congratulations to Derry Township and Dauphin County Industrial Development Authority for their forward-thinking approach and to improving the wellbeing of their communities,” stated Brian D. Emberg, retired Senior Vice President at HRG. “It was a sincere honor to be a part of these commendable initiatives.”

ABOUT HRG

Originally founded in 1962, HRG has grown to be a nationally ranked Top 500 Design Firm, providing civil engineering, surveying and environmental services to public and private sector clients. The 200-person employee-owned firm currently has office locations in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia.

HRG’s Award-Winning Kinzua Sky Walk Project Ranked No. 3 Among the “13 Scary-but-Awesome Viewing Platforms in the World by CNN Travel

September 2, 2013/in Company News /by Jared Kroh

Click here to view the article….

Tourist Attraction & Engineering Landmark Recognized with ENR Mid-Atlantic Best Project Award

November 1, 2012/in Company News, News – Landscape Architecture, News-Parks & Recreation, News-Transportation /by Jared Kroh

Kinzua Viaduct

The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources (DCNR) and Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. (HRG) are pleased to announce that the Kinzua Sky Walk project, a tourist attraction and civil engineering landmark located in McKean County, Pa., was submitted for and recognized with Engineering News-Record’s (ENR) prestigious Mid-Atlantic’s Best Project award in the small projects under $10 million category. This annual award program honors the region’s “best achievements in design and construction.”

The 2,000 foot long and 301 foot high Kinzua Viaduct was the longest and tallest railroad viaduct in the world when built in 1882, and eventually became registered as a national civil engineering historic landmark. Through a DCNR initiative, a 2002 inspection by HRG revealed deterioration to the tower columns and anchor system which made it susceptible to high winds. An emergency design-build rehabilitation project was implemented in 2003 but with only half of the structure repairs completed, the viaduct was struck by an F1 tornado on July 21, 2003 and the unrepaired portions of the structure collapsed.

Overcoming accessibility and constructability challenges due to the project’s unique location, officials, contractors and a team of HRG’s engineers championed the restoration of the damaged structure to safely support pedestrian access and encourage increased tourism to the site. Now known as the “Kinzua Sky Walk”, a new and innovative element was introduced to the structure that involved a steel framed, octagon observation deck with a glass floor (similar to the Grand Canyon Sky Walk) at its center to permit viewing and observation of the support structure.

“The six towers of the original viaduct have been restored, with the addition of a pedestrian walkway with a partial glass floor that extends out into the Kinzua Gorge,” DCNR Secretary Richard J. Allan said. “The idea to stabilize the structure came in to play soon after the tornado struck. Understanding that this is an important tourist attraction in McKean County, DCNR felt it was important to continue to tell the story of its history, construction and destruction and to invest in this signature destination within the Pennsylvania Wilds region.”

“The circumstances and various challenges that arose throughout the duration of the project may have been unpredictable at times,” said Brian D. Emberg, P.E., who managed this project for HRG. “But the Kinzua Sky Walk rehabilitation and restoration project is representative of a true engineering landmark and piece of history for visitors and residents of this region, and we are particularly proud to have played a role in its successful completion.”

The judging criteria for the award focused on overcoming significant challenges; adopting innovative approaches; executing exceptional design and craftsmanship, and maintaining safe sites. This one-of-a-kind project will be recognized in a special Mid-Atlantic edition of ENR in December 2012 and at a ceremony on December 11, 2012 in Baltimore, Md. In addition, the project now advances to a national ENR’s Best Project Competition. For more information and photographs on the Kinzua Sky Walk project, please click here.

ABOUT DCNR

Established on July 1, 1995, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is charged with maintaining 120 state parks; managing 2.2 million acres of state forest land; providing information on the state’s ecological and geologic resources; and establishing community conservation partnerships with grants and technical assistance to benefit rivers, trails, greenways, local parks and recreation, regional heritage parks, open space and natural areas. For more information visit www.dcnr.state.pa.us.