Department Will Address Low-Cost Safety Improvements, High Crash

Locations



    HARRISBURG, Pa., July 24 /EMWNews/ -- Secretary Allen D.

Biehler, P.E., today announced that PennDOT has received a $28 million

federal Safety Belt Performance grant for achieving a seatbelt usage rate

of more than 85 percent for the past two years.



    PennDOT was one of five states to qualify for the federal grant by

recording high seatbelt usage rates in consecutive years. Pennsylvania's

rate reached an all-time high of 86.7 percent in 2007 after peaking at 86.3

percent in 2006.



    The grant, which will be spent over the next three years, will be

invested in PennDOT's highway safety program in physical improvements to

highways and behavioral enforcement and education, as is required by

SAFETEA-LU, the current federal transportation authorization law.



    "This funding will enable the department to continue its efforts to

enhance safety for all motorists," Biehler said. "Our improvements will

focus on roads that have a combination of high crash rates and high traffic

volumes, steps we hope will help us cut crashes, fatalities and injuries."



    PennDOT will direct more than $14 million to install centerline and

shoulder rumble strips on more than 2,500 miles of state roads. These

targeted improvements will help reduce crashes where motorists run off the

road or hit fixed objects, such as trees, utility poles or guide rails. In

2007, there were 726 fatalities in run-off-the-road crashes and 594

fatalities involving hitting a fixed object.



    Additionally, PennDOT will invest $6 million to supplement funding for

improvements at high crash locations; another $5 million will be targeted

for cable and median barrier installation along the interstate.



    Along with projects focused on state highways, PennDOT has allocated $2

million for low-cost safety improvements on local roads. Examples of these

projects include removal of sight distance obstructions and fixed objects

along roadsides.



    The department's Smooth Operator enforcement program, which targets

aggressive drivers, will receive an additional $1 million. Aggressive

driving on state highways contributed to 971 fatalities in 2007.



    CONTACT: Alison Wenger



    (717) 783-8800