A turnabout on tumbling tunnel tiles

October 13, 2008

Q: I just read your Sept. 26 column on falling tiles in the Turnpike's Lehigh Tunnel. It seems a bit irresponsible to make blanket statements like ''no threat'' without doing proper research. Five years ago, I was driving through this exact tunnel and a huge tile or group of tiles fell onto the front end of my car, causing $3,000 damage. After barely regaining control of the vehicle I made it to the end, where a Turnpike worker told me they were not responsible, and that this happens ''all the time.'' My insurance covered the damages, but I am still probably paying higher premiums. The body shop told me if the tile had hit my sunroof, it might have smashed through and killed me. There certainly is a threat in that tunnel, and I advise motorists to drive through it with care.

Recent columns

• High cost of asphalt delays Rt. 22 repaving

  October 10, 2008

  Q: PennDOT appears to be ready to repave the last section of Route 22, from the Lehigh River Bridge to the Interstate 78 split. If that's the case, why have they been causing huge traffic jams the last few weeks by closing lanes for crack-sealing? Isn't it a waste to seal cracks on a road that will be repaved in a few days?

• Road resurfacing can be quite a grind

  October 10, 2008

  Q: I wondered about the purpose of the night construction on I-78 from Cedar Crest Boulevard up to and beyond Summit Lawn about a year ago. It appears they removed the built-in reflectors and did some sort of surface grooving. Was this to add longevity to the concrete surface, or perhaps to increase traction in wet weather?

• This walk to the doctor is unhealthy

  October 6, 2008

  Q: I live near Lehigh Valley Hospital and have purposely chosen doctors nearby so I can walk to appointments. Their offices are on the east side of Cedar Crest Boulevard, across from LVH. There's no sidewalk on Cedar Crest, but there is adequate space to walk safely alongside traffic. The only scary section is under the Interstate-78 overpass, but I have hugged the concrete barrier and executed safe passage many times. Recently I noticed a ''No Pedestrians'' sign prohibiting walking under 78! Should I ignore the sign and continue walking to my appointments, or forget the benefits and enjoyment derived from walking and just get in the car and waste gas?

• High cost of asphalt delays Rt. 22 repaving

  October 3, 2008

  Q: PennDOT appears to be ready to repave the last section of Route 22, from the Lehigh River Bridge to the Interstate 78 split. If that's the case, why have they been causing huge traffic jams the last few weeks by closing lanes for crack-sealing? Isn't it a waste to seal cracks on a road that will be repaved in a few days?

• Better median barriers in Rt. 33's future

  September 29, 2008

  Q: Your articles about the need for median barriers on Interstate-78 as a means of avoiding crossover accidents are exactly on target. But there's a major highway in this area that has no physical barriers in areas where the median is no more than one lane wide, as opposed to the 60-foot grass median on 78. There have been many accidents and some fatalities along this highway, but there seems little interest by PennDOT or local newspapers in correcting this unsafe situation. The road in question is Route 33. In some sections opposing traffic lanes are divided by the width of one driving lane. The speed limit is reduced to 55 mph, but few drivers slow down. It's a catastrophe in waiting.

• Tiles in Turnpike tunnel no threat to fall on unsuspecting drivers

  September 26, 2008

  Q: I have a question I've often wondered about as I head north on the Turnpike's Northeast Extension, through the Lehigh Tunnel. In winter I've seen icicles formed on the tiled ceiling of the much older northbound tunnel. There are also many missing tiles. I was wondering what the chances are that tiles could pop off and hit vehicles passing through, and whether that has happened. Have those that are missing just fallen off, or have they been removed for safety purposes? And how frequently are the tiles inspected to ensure they remain sufficiently bonded to the surfaces of the walls and ceiling?

• Size matters on Schantz Road

  September 22, 2008

  Q: The section of Schantz Road in Upper Macungie Township, between Grim Road and Route 222 to the west, was posted with the following sign years ago: '102'' Twins/102'' Trailers/Over 281/2 feet/Prohibited.' My understanding, after doing some research, is this means tractor-trailers are prohibited on Schantz Road, but smaller trucks such as furniture trucks and dump trucks are still allowed. I never see the signs being enforced; I have seen truckers driving right past police on that section of road and not being stopped. Is there some reason for the lack of enforcement? Is it going to take somebody being killed by a 'prohibited' vehicle before it's enforced?

• Traffic light sensors are godsend, but tricky devils if not set right

  September 19, 2008

  Q: Not long ago construction was done at Route 100 and Weilers/Schaefer Run roads in Upper Macungie Township. The corners of the intersection were widened and repaved. Prior to this, drivers on Weilers/Schaefer Run did not have to wait long at the light. I believe it was using the sensors in the road to switch the light. Since the work was completed, the light seems to be working on a timer. At rush periods there can be quite a line there; I'd say the wait can be three minutes or more. Will this signal be switched back to sensor-based function any time soon?

• Construction trucks not good as planters

  September 15, 2008

  Q: What's the deal with the abandoned trucks on the grass island next to the I-78 overpass on Hamilton Boulevard? They've been there forever, and I don't get why they're sitting there with foot-high grass growing around them. What an eyesore.

• Work at intersection near NCC drags on ... and on ... and on

  September 12, 2008

  Q: How long can it take to install traffic lights at the intersections of Easton Avenue and Farmersville Road and Easton Avenue and Oakland Road in Bethlehem Township? I can't understand the lack of progress on these projects. They work a day or two then disappear for weeks! Is there an explanation for this slow-moving project?

• Long-sought I-78 median barrier could cross over into reality

  September 8, 2008

  Q: How many more people need to die in crossover accidents on I-78 before PennDOT puts Jersey barriers in the median? Last Tuesday a driver crossed the median from westbound I-78 near Route 309 and struck and killed an eastbound motorist. I remember a similar accident with multiple fatalities five years ago between Routes 33 and 412. It seems the cost of installing barriers would be modest compared to the cost, in human lives, of inaction.

• On this Wilson street, speeding is strictly a judgment call

  September 5, 2008

  Q: Does the speed limit still apply in the summer at school zones? I don't see any signs that say 'only during school days' at the zone on Warrior Lane at Wilson Area High School. If the limit does not apply during summer, how fast should we be going? It seems silly to go only 15 mph when school is out.

• Gas-ethanol mix hurts mpg -- but not enough to hurt wallet

  August 29, 2008

  Q: After reading the June column on fuel mileage and ethanol, I would love to run a test to see if gas with no ethanol will give me a few percentage points more on my mpg. On my work commute between Macungie and Bally, I can't find any pumps without the 10 percent ethanol stickers. Do you know where some are, or is there a Web site that tracks these things? I've searched, but no luck.

• Motorists beware of trailers' risks

  August 25, 2008

  Q: There are many people with trailers on the road these days. Not just small trailers, but horse trailers and other large units as well. People need to be on the lookout for trailers, and should know how not to drive around them: Aggressive driving and cutting off vehicles pulling trailers is particularly dangerous. Trailer-haulers can't stop on a dime, and it takes considerable space for them to make turns or change lanes. Other motorists need to give them enough room.

• Safety reigns supreme after gas shower

  August 22, 2008

  Q: A gas-station customer ahead of me prepaid for $5 worth of gas, which was not enough to fill the tank. He put the nozzle on trigger-lock to pump the gas. When the pump shut off at $5, he hung the nozzle back on the pump, the trigger still locked on full flow, and drove merrily away. I arrived next and prepaid for $10. The cashier must have authorized the payment just as I removed the nozzle from the pump, because at that moment gasoline spewed everywhere, the trigger still locked in the 'on' position. By the time I got it shut off five or so seconds later, I had gas all over the pump and the ground, and some on my clothes. Trigger locks should be banned. This is a catastrophe in the making.

• Odd markings are control joints to keep cracks from meandering

  August 22, 2008

  Q. I travel Route 378 frequently and was anticipating traffic headaches due to the recent repair and resurfacing project, but much to PennDOT's and the contractor's credit, the job was finished quickly. As I drove south on the newly surfaced roadway I noticed curious narrow white lines painted perpendicular to the roadway. They seemed to correspond to the joints in the concrete that were covered. Is this a new technique that PennDOT is employing, and what exactly are these lines for?

• Right turn was wrong turn after bicycle race

  August 21, 2008

  Detour signs for the Lehigh Valley Classic bicycle race staged in Allentown June 3 were posted on northbound Hamilton Boulevard at Ott Street in Allentown, and were forgotten for two months, an overlooked remnant of the race.

• Who ruined Upper Saucon intersection?

  August 18, 2008

  Q. Traffic at the intersection of Lanark Road and W. Saucon Valley Road in Upper Saucon Township had been controlled by four-way stop signs. Recently, they installed traffic lights -- 14 of them! If it weren't so pathetically inane and expensive for the taxpayers, it would almost be funny. How about making the person who specified that, and the supervisor that approved it, pay for it?

• Odd markings are control joints to keep meandering cracks in line

  August 15, 2008

  Q. I travel Route 378 frequently and was anticipating traffic headaches due to the recent repair and resurfacing project, but much to PennDOT's and the contractor's credit, the job was finished quickly. As I drove south on the newly surfaced roadway I noticed curious narrow white lines painted perpendicular to the roadway. They were spaced in an unusual pattern and I actually found them to be distracting. They seemed to correspond to the joints in the concrete that were covered. On a recent trip to Philadelphia similar lines appeared on the Schuylkill Expressway. Is this a new technique that PennDOT is employing, and what exactly are these lines for?

• Warrior From Page B1

  August 15, 2008

  Warrior when he went to investigate.

• Mysterious purple boxes bug reader

  August 11, 2008

  Q: This may not be a typical Road Warrior question, but maybe you can help. While driving around the Valley, I've noticed purple 'boxes' hanging in trees in various locations. I spotted two on Limeport Pike, one on Geissinger Road in Upper Milford Township, and I saw one on a side road trip to Kempton. They're not always easy to spot -- they hang high in trees -- but when I did see them, it piqued my curiosity. Are they bat boxes, or insect control, or what? Any ideas?

• Why the slow Whitehall roadwork?

  August 8, 2008

  Q. If you want to see a ''zoo,'' come to Whitehall Township and take a look at the poor coordination amongst the road-construction projects, mostly just north of the Whitehall Mall. The following roads are closed simultaneously: W. Union Street, Orchard Drive, Mickley Road, Mickley Avenue, Main Street in West Catasauqua, etc. On Tuesday [June 24], all local traffic was being diverted onto Schadt Avenue, and that's where the attempted carjacker encountered police. Other times detour routes were closed, and people found it impossible to drive to the Post Office on Schadt. W. Union Street has been milled down without new paving since April.

• no_title

  August 1, 2008

  Q. In recent months, huge open-ended cylinders have been transported past my house on Route 313, going east and west, sometimes three in succession, with police escorts. What is the purpose of these cylinders, and what company has the capacity to manufacture these giants?

• Mystery cylinders part of new energy

  August 1, 2008

  Q. In recent months, huge open-ended cylinders have been transported past my house on Route 313, going east and west, sometimes three in succession, with police escorts. What is the purpose of these cylinders, and what company has the capacity to manufacture these giants?

• Keep those pothole reports coming

  August 1, 2008

  Q: Traveling home every day on Route 22 east, crossing the Route 309 bridge, there is a really wide hole on the roadway. It's at least two to three feet across and it has been that way for weeks. Do you know why PennDOT is not fixing it?

• Safety, not convenience, drive daytime roadwork

  July 25, 2008

  Q: What's with the grass-cutting or brush-cutting crews working in the morning during rush hours each day June 16-18, causing traffic jams on Route 22? Isn't there a better time, with less traffic, to do the job?

• Are roundabouts key to keeping motorists moving?

  July 25, 2008

  Q: My wife and I were in Spain and France last year and saw firsthand all the old and new roundabouts at road intersections. They are fantastic. I think we should use nothing but roundabouts outside urban areas, and even in urban areas wherever possible. They vary in size and number of lanes, but all work very well. U.S. motorists are not used to them, or have experienced traffic circles, which mistakenly award the right-of-way to drivers entering the circles. Drivers inside roundabouts correctly have the right-of-way, which makes roundabouts easy to negotiate, and very safe. We were amazed at how few traffic lights are used outside urban areas in Europe, to great benefit, particularly with high gas prices: No need to halt traffic in one direction at all times. PennDOT should study what they're doing in Europe, and start converting to roundabouts wherever feasible.

• Why didn't PennDOT keep timed signals on Rt. 22 ramps?

  July 21, 2008

  Q: Back in 1998 PennDOT installed temporary lights to stagger traffic on the Route 22 entrance ramps to help keep highway traffic moving during construction. Afterward they spent time and money changing these lights over to a more permanent installation. The signals were used mostly during heavy traffic and rush-hour situations. Now these lights are not used at all. Why? They seemed to help in high-traffic areas!

• Safety, not convenience, drives daytime road work

  July 18, 2008

  Q: What's with the grass-cutting or brush-cutting crews working in the morning during rush hours each day June 16-18, causing traffic jams on Route 22? Isn't there a better time, with less traffic, to do the job? I had to take side roads from Route 33 to Airport Road each day to avoid the 'Route 22 Parking Lot' to get to work.

• Acetone, gas-saver gimmicks don't boost mpg

  July 11, 2008

  Q: I don't always agree with you, but your articles on ethanol have been interesting. Did you ever try the acetone trick? You add three ounces of pure acetone to each 10 gallons of gas you put in your tank. The theory is that it alters the molecular structure of the fuel, allowing it to atomize better and produce more energy. The claims are for a 10 percent to 35 percent mileage increase. Acetone sells for about $6 a quart, which would treat 100 gallons, or about 60 cents per 10-gallon treatment, or six cents per gallon of gas treated. Even using the 10 percent mileage gain, with gas at $4 per gallon, you'd be 'saving' 34 cents per gallon. I've tried this and it seemed to help my in-town mileage more then my highway mileage -- unless I used 10 percent ethanol gas, then my mileage fell flat on its face. The acetone trick long has been an octane-boosting practice.

• Are inspections a streak of fortune for mechanics?

  July 4, 2008

  A: Any component that affects the safe operation of your vehicle is subject to safety inspection in Pennsylvania, Mark. Suspension, steering, braking, lighting, fuel, exhaust and electrical systems, wheels and tires, windows, mirrors, horn, turn signals, body and chassis, speedometer, and yes, windshield wipers, washers and defrosters are among the eight pages worth of stuff in the book.

• Motorists should call police if they see signs of handicap placard, plate abuse

  June 27, 2008

  Q: What can we do when we see people parking in handicap parking spaces with the 'handicap' placard displayed, but they obviously are not handicapped? At the Lehigh Valley Mall I saw a 30-something woman in a big, new SUV pull into a handicap spot, place the card on her rear-view mirror and get out of the vehicle with child and stroller, practically running across the lot to get out of the cold. Her only obvious handicap was a mental one. If I call police, is there any hope they'd actually do something?

• Got turn signals? Sign's question is a puzzler

  June 23, 2008

  Q: For years there has been a street sign in south Allentown that I have wondered about. When traveling south on S. Fourth Street past Mountainville Shopping Center, if you take the offshoot road that becomes S. Fifth Street, there is a yellow-and-black road sign that reads, "Turn Signals?' I don't know if the person who designed the sign wasn't sure what it was supposed to say, or if they were using sarcasm to get drivers to use turn signals at the next intersection at Dixon Street, or what. Is this a legitimate sign?

• Design intervention: Church Lane Bridge stays single

  June 20, 2008

  Q: The bridge on Church Lane, just east of Route 100 in Trexlertown, is a narrow, wood-deck bridge with a lot of traffic, and at peak times you wait quite a while to cross. A wider bridge is needed.

• Why is the Rt. 191 station with $1.29 gas closed? Ask the owner -- if you can find him

  June 20, 2008

  Q: There's a long-closed gas station on Route 191 in Bethlehem Township, just north of the Route 22 overpass. Frozen in time, its price board lists regular unleaded at $1.29.9 per gallon. How long ago was that??

• Why is the Rt. 191 station with the $1.29 gas closed? Ask the owner -- if you can find him

  June 16, 2008

  Q: There's a long-closed gas station on Route 191 in Bethlehem Township, just north of the Route 22 overpass. Frozen in time, its price board lists regular unleaded at $1.29.9 per gallon. How long ago was that??

• Are two Rt. 329 stop signs needed at Rt. 873? PennDOT says yes

  May 26, 2008

  sign was added recently when officials realized it was AWOL; the traffic plan shows that the sign should have been there all along, he said: ''Apparently it's been missing for an unknown period of time.''

• PennDOT cameras can't be used to swat litterbugs

  May 23, 2008

  Q: Regarding your January column on litter: Yes, you do see cigarette butts flung out of car windows, but I do a lot of driving and don't usually see cardboard, foam, plastic etc. flowing from cars. I'm wondering if the majority of the stuff isn't from garbage trucks or trucks with improperly secured loads. Also, I wonder if they can use the highway surveillance cameras somehow to at least determine exactly where all the litter comes from.

• All flexed up with no place to fuel: Where are the ethanol pumps?

  May 23, 2008

  Q. I just purchased a car that uses ''flex-fuel.'' It can use regular unleaded gasoline, or E85 ethanol. Here's the catch: The closest places to buy E85 are Lititz, Manheim, or Philadelphia. We'd run out of gas on the way to buy the fuel. Why can't we find ethanol closer to home? Any plans to offer it locally? And why are we selling cars with fuel systems that can't be used?

• All flexed up with no place to fuel: Where are the ethanol pumps?

  May 23, 2008

  Q. I just purchased a car that uses ''flex-fuel.'' It can use regular unleaded gasoline, or E85 ethanol. Here's the catch: The closest places to buy E85 are Lititz, Manheim, or Philadelphia. We'd run out of gas on the way to buy the fuel. Why can't we find ethanol closer to home? Any plans to offer it locally? And why are we selling cars with fuel systems that can't be used?

• Leaving unattended tot in a car is dangerous, illegal

  May 19, 2008

  Q: Recently while waiting in line at a post office, a young woman in front of me kept stepping out of line to look out the entranceway windows. She explained she had left her baby in her car, but ''It's OK because I left the engine running with the A/C on.'' I offered to process her packages for her, which she declined. I then gently told her, ''You know, that's against the law.'' She said, ''Try telling that to my daughter if I wake her up to take her out of the car,'' or words to that effect. The conversation was nonconfrontational, and I felt I had done all I could do at that point. My transaction finished first, and upon leaving I noticed a beautiful baby in a child seat inside a running car, illegally parked, with what appeared to be open door locks. I could only shake my head in sadness. So many running vehicles are stolen, many times without the perpetrator knowing a child is in the back seat. Can you publish the current laws regarding this, as well as the possible penalties?

• Poll shows just one hang-up about banning drivers from using hand-held cell phones

  May 16, 2008

  The Road Warrior recently sought readers' opinions on a proposed ban on the use of hand-held cell phones while driving in Pennsylvania. The results are the subject of today's column.

• PennDOT cameras can't be used to swat litterbugs

  May 16, 2008

  Q: Regarding your January column on litter: Yes, you do see cigarette butts flung out of car windows, but I do a lot of driving and don't usually see cardboard, foam, plastic etc. flowing from cars. I'm wondering if the majority of the stuff isn't from garbage trucks or trucks with improperly secured loads. Also, I wonder if they can use the highway surveillance cameras somehow to at least determine exactly where all the litter comes from.

• Why didn't PennDOT build a wider Route 22 to start with?

  May 12, 2008

  Q: The recent attention on the Route 222 Bypass has been interesting, but I think it's taken a lot of heat off of the traffic problems on Route 22. Why they don't look into a Route 22 Bypass, from Palmer Township to Route 100, in the north part of the Valley, while it's still farmland and cheap land? For that matter, why don't they just make the roads wider in general from the beginning? When Route 22 was built they had the room to make it wider but they passed on it. It's politics, I guess.

• Poll shows just one hang-up about banning drivers from using hand-held cell phones

  May 9, 2008

  The Road Warrior recently sought readers' opinions on a proposed ban on the use of hand-held cell phones while driving in Pennsylvania. The results are the subject of today's column.

• Why the long red lights at Cetronia Road? And where's that bridge?

  May 9, 2008

  Q: Can you tell me what is going on with the Cetronia Road bridge just west of Trexlertown Road?

• Why the long red lights at Cetronia Road? And where's that bridge?

  May 5, 2008

  Q: I go down Route 100 (now Trexlertown Road) almost every day and I hate all the lights, but I really hate the one at Cetronia Road that turns red without anyone coming from the east side of Cetronia to trip the light. (The road doesn't go anywhere to the west, as they are still playing around with a bridge needed to service the adjacent housing development.) Why is this light not on a cycle to stay green for Route 100 until a car approaches on Cetronia Road?

• A quick solution to bypass merge problems: Slow down

  May 2, 2008

  Q: On the Route 222 Bypass headed north, when the road merges back with Hamilton Boulevard as you approach I-78, why is there no stop or yield sign for Hamilton traffic? If you're on the bypass and want to get onto 78 it is incredibly dangerous. No one stops or yields. This has got to be a big mistake by PennDOT; please tell me they're going to fix it.

• Route 222 bypass gets more visible signage

  May 2, 2008

  Q: It's nice to see that PennDOT installed the larger street-name signs in advance of the intersections on the Route 222 Bypass, after people complained about the tiny original signs at the intersections. Here's another question regarding a feature I think they should have put in originally: Why doesn't the bypass have those rumble-strip cut-outs at the shoulders to warn motorists when they're wandering off the travel lane? I

• A quick solution to bypass merge problems: Slow down

  May 2, 2008

  Q: On the Route 222 Bypass headed north, when the road merges back with Hamilton Boulevard as you approach I-78, why is there no stop or yield sign for Hamilton traffic? If you're on the bypass and want to get onto 78 it is incredibly dangerous. No one stops or yields. This has got to be a big mistake by PennDOT; please tell me they're going to fix it.

• Motorists and bicyclists tire of street clashes

  April 28, 2008

  Q: In the last few years it has become increasingly difficult to take a bicycle ride without getting hassled by motorists who believe we do not belong on the road. With spring bike-riding season blooming, can you explain that cyclists have a right to be on the road? I know that some cyclists can be as guilty of road abuses as motorists, but generally we deserve respect. We are allowed to ride two abreast. Please explain our rights and responsibilities as cyclists.

• Two out of three Route 222 bypass fixes isn't bad

  April 25, 2008

  Q: It's nice to see that PennDOT installed the larger street-name signs in advance of the intersections on the Route 222 Bypass, after people complained about the tiny original signs at the intersections. Here's another question regarding a feature I think they should have put in originally: Why doesn't the bypass have those rumble-strip cut-outs at the shoulders to warn motorists when they're wandering off the travel lane? I thought PennDOT considered them a big safety improvement, since they sometimes add them to existing roads.

• Overpass removed for turnpike widening

  April 25, 2008

  Q. While driving back from Philadelphia recently on the Northeast Extension, I noticed at least two overpasses between Plymouth Meeting and Lansdale that had been completely removed from crossing the highway. Any idea what's up with that? Any chance they were removed in preparation for the highway expanding from four lanes to six lanes?

• Two out of three Route 222 bypass fixes isn't bad

  April 25, 2008

  Q: It's nice to see that PennDOT installed the larger street-name signs in advance of the intersections on the Route 222 Bypass, after people complained about the tiny original signs at the intersections. Here's another question regarding a feature I think they should have put in originally: Why doesn't the bypass have those rumble-strip cut-outs at the shoulders to warn motorists when they're wandering off the travel lane? I thought PennDOT considered them a big safety improvement, since they sometimes add them to existing roads.

• Overpasses removed for Turnpike widening

  April 18, 2008

  Q. While driving back from Philadelphia recently on the Northeast Extension, I noticed at least two overpasses between Plymouth Meeting and Lansdale that had been completely removed from crossing the highway. Any idea what's up with that? Any chance they were removed in preparation for the highway expanding from four lanes to six lanes?