(Harrisburg, Pa.) Governor Tom Wolf announced today that 50 municipalities will receive over $15.6 million to support traffic signal upgrades, increasing mobility and efficiency across Pennsylvania’s communities through the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s (PennDOT’s) “Green Light-Go” program.

“The safety improvements supported by the Green Light-Go program not only help municipalities relieve congestion and traffic flow, they help Pennsylvanians move safely and efficiently,” said Gov​. Wolf. “I’m proud to help our communities improve mobility for Pennsylvanians.”

Green Light-Go grants are provided as reimbursement to municipalities for updates to improve the efficiency and operation of existing traffic signals. Grant funding through the Green Light-Go program may be utilized for a range of operational improvements including, but not limited to light-emitting diode (LED) technology installation, traffic signal retiming, developing special event plans and monitoring traffic signals, as well as upgrading traffic signals to the latest technologies. This is the sixth round of funding disbursed through the Green Light-Go program for municipal traffic signals.

Following is a list of approved projects:

Allegheny County

• Edgewood Borough – $230,144 for Race Street at Pennwood Avenue Traffic Signal Modernization Upgrades.
• City of Pittsburgh– $132,000 for the East End Signal Retiming Project.
• City of Pittsburgh – $ 266,736 for expanding the city’s fiber optic network to connect traffic signals to the Traffic Management Center.

Berks County

• Kutztown Borough – $40,054 for replacing four traffic signal controllers, upgrading to LED signal indications through the borough, and traffic signal retiming.
• Shillington Borough – $320,911.68 for replacing ten traffic signal controllers, upgrading to video detection, and optimizing traffic signal timing along the Lancaster Avenue corridor.
• Sinking Springs Borough – $276,664 for replacing the traffic signal as part of the Penn-Columbia-Cacoosing Intersection Improvement Project.
• Spring Township – $518,310.04 for replacing six traffic signal controllers, replacing LED indications, installing pedestrian signals, emergency vehicle pre-emption, and traffic signal retiming along the Penn Avenue corridor.
• Wyomissing Borough – $420,384 for upgrading 21 traffic signal controller assemblies.

Blair County

• City of Altoona – $298,769 for modernization of the traffic signal at 13th Avenue & 13th Street.
• Roaring Spring Borough – $263,200 for upgrading the Five Points Intersection traffic signal.

Bucks County

• Bristol Township – $106,282 for New Rodgers Rd (SR 0413) at Otter St (SR 2002), railroad preemption upgrade.
• Bristol Township – $331,702 for modernization of the New Falls Road (SR 2006) at Newportville Road (SR 2027) traffic signal.
• Bristol Township – $247,544 for upgrading traffic signal detection at eight intersections including timing optimization.
• Newtown Borough – $271,520 for modernization of the Lincoln and Washington traffic signal including new pedestrian accommodations.
• Northampton Township – $100,560 for installing a new controller assembly, vehicle detection, countdown pedestrian signals, and battery back-up equipment at the intersection of Second Street Pike and New Road.
• Warminster Township – $262,692 for detection and controller upgrades, uninterruptible power supplies, and signal timing optimization at five intersections along the Street Road corridor and the intersection of County Line Road and Warminster Road.

Butler County

• Cranberry Township – $56,000 for replace traffic signal controller assemblies at the intersections of Route 19 with Glen Eden Road/North Boundary Road and Dutilh Road
• Cranberry Township – $24,000 for extending the traffic signal communications network to four intersections for remote management from the Cranberry Township Traffic Operations Center.
• Cranberry Township – $28,000 for LED signal indication replacements at six intersections.

Centre County

• Patton Township – $684,138.40 for connect 28 traffic signals along Atherton Street in five municipalities to the Commonwealth network and upgrade detection to support Automated Traffic Signal Performance Measures.
• Ferguson Township – $108,000 for detection upgrades at three intersections along the Science Park Road corridor.
• Spring Township – $40,000 for upgrading three signals along Zion Road with Flashing Yellow Arrow indications.
• State College Borough – $1,143,876 for the first phase of communication network upgrades and multimodal detection at 22 intersections along the Atherton Street, Beaver Avenue, College Avenue, and Park Avenue corridors.

Chester County

• Uwchlan Township – $263,335 for upgrading traffic signal controllers along Uwchlan Avenue (SR 0113) and connecting to the Commonwealth network.

Columbia County

• Scott Township – $222,000 for modernization of the SR 11 & Cinema Center Drive traffic signal.

Crawford County

• Conneaut Lake Borough – $220,000 for modernization of two signals along Water Street.

Cumberland County

• Carlisle Borough – $400,200 for upgrading vehicle detection and adaptive system processors at 15 intersections on Hanover Street and High Street.
• Lemoyne Borough – $221,320 for new controller assemblies, upgraded LED signal indications, detection upgrades, emergency preemption system, and signal interconnection along the Third Street corridor.
• Silver Spring Township – $106,000 for adding retroreflective backplates to all intersections on Carlisle Pike and pedestrian signals/detection at Route 11 & Hempt Road.

Dauphin County

• East Hanover Township – $235,500.22 for interconnecting traffic signals along PA 743/Bow Creek Road and connecting to the Commonwealth network for Interstate 81 incident management.

Delaware County

• Concord Township – $141,600 for upgrading detection at traffic signals along Concord Road.
• Ridley Township – $65,532 for upgraded detection at the Stewart Avenue & I-95 interchange.
• Ridley Township – $417,576 for upgraded detection and pedestrian signals at four intersections.

Huntingdon County

• Huntingdon Borough – $214,400 for detection upgrades at four traffic signals along Penn Street Signal.

Indiana County

• White Township – $188,000 for replacing traffic signal supports and adding pedestrian accommodations at the Ben Franklin Road/Warren Street intersection.

Lackawanna County

• City of Scranton – $488,000 for modernization of traffic signals along Cedar Avenue at E. Elm Street and Maple Street including new mast arms, controller cabinets, signal heads and pavement markings.

Lancaster County

• East Hempfield Township – $201,700 for traffic signal upgrades at the Marietta Ave and Good Drive intersection in conjunction with a related project to widen the intersection to add right turn lanes.
• East Lampeter Township – $217,500 for upgrading detection at four intersection​s along Old Philadelphia Pike including connection of the traffic signals to the Commonwealth network for remote monitoring.
• City of Lancaster – $480,080 for to implement left turn phasing at three intersections, including associated signal support upgrades, pavement markings, signal retiming, and upgraded pedestrian amenities.

Lawrence County

• New Castle City – $201,600 for modernization of the Butler/Taylor traffic signal.

Luzerne County

• City of Hazleton – $305,677 for modernization of the Diamond and Vine Street traffic signal.
• City of Wilkes-Barre – $300,000 for development and implementation of new traffic signal timing plans at 13 intersections.

Mifflin County

• Granville Township – $80,112.50 for upgrading the controller assembly, signal cables, signal heads, detection, and preemption systems at the SR 3002 & WalMart traffic signal.

Montgomery County

• Abington Township – $490,320 for modernization of two traffic signals at Meetinghouse Road/Beverly Road/Fairy Hill Road and Jenkintown Road/Forrest Avenue.
  East Greenville Borough – $261,301.60 for modernization of the Fourth & Main Street traffic signal.
• Lansdale Borough – $280,000 for upgrading seven traffic signal controller assemblies.
• Lower Moreland Township – $527,732 for traffic signal upgrades at five intersections to include video detection, dilemma zone radar detection, emergency pre-emption, new controller and battery back-up and pedestrian signals.
• Upper Moreland Township – $147,760 for traffic signal upgrades at four intersections along N. York Rd. Traffic to include video detection, countdown pedestrian signals and ADA compliant pushbuttons with LED confirmation light.

Northampton County

• Bath Borough – $377,441.68 for detector installation, controller upgrades, new radio communications, and pedestrian signals at four intersections.
• Bethlehem Township – $25,600 for LED upgrades at six intersections.
• Forks Township – $58,000 for upgrading detection at the Kesslersville Road/Uhler Road intersection.
• Forks Township – $498,336 for upgrading to an interconnected system at six intersections along Sullivan Trail with additional modernization upgrades such as controllers, battery backup systems and emergency pre-emption.
• Wilson Borough – $306,000 for modernization of the traffic signal at Butler Street and Freemansburg Avenue/South 18^th Street/Palmer Street.

Union County

• Kelly Township – $297,665 for SR 0015 & SR 1005 (Hospital Drive) Signal Modernization to include full signal replacement to include retiming, new controller assembly, signal communication, enhanced detection and mast arms.
• Kelly Township – $248,559 for SR 0015 & SR 1018 (William Penn) Signal Modernization to include signal replacement to include retiming, new controller assembly, signal communication, enhanced detection system and mast arms.

Warren County

• Sheffield Township – $108,416.56 for Electrical Upgrade and ADA Compliance improvements at the Route 6/Route 948/Route 666 intersection.

Westmoreland County

• South Greensburg Borough – $237,270 for traffic signal modernization at the Broad Street/Huff Avenue intersection.

York County

• Fairview Township – $33,296.35 for LED replacement at nine intersections.
• Springettsbury Township – $293,416 for signal retiming, updating pedestrian accommodations to meet ADA standards, controller equipment upgrades, and other equipment upgrades at the Eastern Blvd (T-982) & Kingston Rd (T-946) intersection.
• Springettsbury Township – $313,656 for signal retiming, updating pedestrian accommodations to meet ADA standards, controller equipment upgrades, and equipment upgrades at the Eastern Blvd (T-982) & Northern Way (T-417) intersection.

Keystone State News Connection

July 8, 2021

Petition Calls for an End to Prison Gerrymandering in PA

Emily Scott

HARRISBURG, Pa. – Pennsylvania should get some 2020 Census data this summer, to be used in the redistricting process. But some groups want the state to put an end to what’s known as prison gerrymandering

It’s the policy of counting people in prison as residents where they’re incarcerated, rather than where they’d otherwise be living.

A petition launched on Tuesday asks the panel in charge of redrawing the districts – the Legislative Reapportionment Commission, or LRC – to count the 37-thousand people behind bars based on where they’re from.

Robert Saleem Holbrook, executive director of the Abolitionist Law Center, said prison gerrymandering is a racial justice issue.

“Because what you have is prisoners who are primarily from Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chester, who are making up the bulk or disproportionate number of the state prison population in Pennsylvania,” said Holbrook. “And these rural, white counties benefit from predominantly Black and Brown areas, from them being counted as residents in these prisons in these rural communities.”

In a May LRC meeting, PA House Minority Leader Rep. Joanna McClinton – D-Philadelphia – who sits on the five-member panel, called on her colleagues to commit to stopping prison gerrymandering.

Carol Kuniholm, chair of the group Fair Districts PA, said prison gerrymandering goes against state election law, which says individuals in “penal institutions” should not be considered a resident of the institution’s election district.

“So, our belief is, if you can’t vote in the place you are incarcerated, you shouldn’t be counted in the place where you’re incarcerated,” said Kuniholm. “That you should be counted at your last known address.”

Kuniholm said she hopes the LRC addresses prison gerrymandering at its next meeting. The commission has pledged to host public hearings this summer ahead of the mapmaking process.

By ALEXANDRA JAFFE Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is turning his focus to pitching his proposed investments in families and education. Biden is using a visit Wednesday to a community college in a key Illinois swing district to highlight how his spending on so-called human infrastructure would boost the economy. The Democratic president will visit McHenry County College in Crystal Lake, Illinois, a community college with a workforce development program and a child care center. Biden will promote his vision to invest in child care, health care, education and other important aspects of everyday life for Americans.

Trump announces suits against Facebook, Twitter and Google
By JILL COLVIN Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Donald Trump is filing lawsuits against three of the country’s biggest tech companies: Facebook, Twitter and Google. Trump says he is serving as the lead plaintiff in the suit, claiming he has been wrongfully censored by the companies. Trump was suspended from Twitter and Facebook after his followers stormed the Capitol building on Jan. 6. The companies cited concerns that he would incite further violence. Currently, he can no longer post on either platform.

Northbound I-79 Neville Island Bridge Weekend Closure July 9-12

(Beaver, PA) – Pennsylvania State Police have reported via release that on July 4th, 2021 at 6:19 a.m. Jammaria Veshawn, a 27 year old man from Shreveport, was traveling eastbound on I-76 on a 2017 Peterbilt Tractor in the right lane when he failed to completely negotiate a left curve and subsequently struck the guide rail on the narrow shoulder. After the initial impact, Mr. Veshawn traveled approximately 650 feet along the concrete barrier on the side of the Beaver River Bridge before coming to a final rest blocking the right lane. Homewood Maintenance and Tow-Tegrety Towing were called to the scene for assistance. Mr. Veshawn has been charged with driving on road lanes laned for traffic.

(Pine Township, PA) – Pennsylvania State Police have reported via release that on July 1st, 2021 at 1:02 p.m. Brian Sherman, a 40 year old man from Menahga, Michigan, was traveling west I-76 in a Kenworth Northwest Vehicle in the middle lane when he merged into the left lane. Upon merging, Mr. Sherman was rear ended by a Melissa Brandt, a 35 year old female from Sewickley, operating a 2017 Hyundai Elantra. Mr. Sherman’s vehicle then came to a controlled stop facing west with minor damage. Mrs. Brandt’s vehicle crossed all lanes of travel and then struck the center concrete barrier, then finally coming to an uncontrolled stop facing west with severe front end damage. Mrs. Brandt was transported to Allegheny General Hospital with injuries of unknown severity.

(New Brighton, Pa.) New Brighton Area Police have charged 29-year-old Lonnie Nalepa from Baden in connection with a domestic incident that happened at Brighton Manor Apartments in New Brighton last Saturday morning, July 3, 2021, around 8:30 AM.

According to reports New Brighton Police Officers approached the rear of the building when they saw Nalepa hiding behind a wall in the apartment and he refused to come out. He fired one round at a New Brighton Officer leading him to take cover. He Eventually surrendered to police inside the apartment.

Nalepa also shot an unidentified woman in the chest. She was air lifted to UPMC Presby in Pittsburgh and her condition is not known at this time.

After securing the scene and searching the apartment police found a shattered window and bullet hole in a curtain, a handgun that was registered to someone who is deceased, a shell casing on the floor, a bag of crack cocaine, a scale and multiple cell phones.

Nalepa is charged with one count of criminal homicide of a police officer, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, one count of aggravated assault, three counts of reckless endangerment, one count of prohibited possession of a fire arm, and one count of possession with intent to deliver.

Nalepa was convicted of a felony in 2014 which prohibited him from owning a fire arm.

He was placed in the Beaver County Jail on $150,000 Bond

(Allegheny County, Pa.) PennDOT is announcing bridge inspection activities in Findlay Township, Allegheny County, will occur Thursday, July 8, 2021 weather permitting.

Shoulder restrictions and possible lane closures will occur from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on I-376 (Parkway West) over McClaren Road in Findlay

Motorists should be prepared for changing traffic patterns. Please use caution when driving through the area. Work zone safety is everyone’s responsibility.