Native American tribal consultation will be conducted as part of the project. It is going to be completed by a combination of PennDOT and the Federal Highway Administration. This is an ongoing process as part of the environmental clearance.
Why was the decision made to remove the access roads instead of keeping the existing median strips?
The study for this project started in 2011, and the initial project design was to remove the raised concrete traffic islands to eliminate the intermediate crossovers because those were where the high rates of crashes occur or have a tendency to occur.
This option would have left the access roads open at the northern and southern limits, but was extensively rejected by the public during a public plans display with then Senator Ferry at a town hall in 2014.
At that point, PennDOT decided to advance the southern two projects, RC1 and RC2, and reconsider the RC3 corridor to look at alternatives. The primary alternative was to create interchanges and close the frontage roads.
Additionally, there have been multiple fatalities along the corridor for mainline U.S. 1 traffic. There are no shoulders, so there is no recovery area for errant vehicles. There is nowhere to pull off if you have a breakdown. The raised concrete traffic islands do not prevent vehicles from leaving the highway, and there have been incidents of vehicles leaving the highway, crossing the raised concrete traffic islands, and ending up either in somebody’s front yard or in another accident along the service roads themselves.
The goal of this project is to improve U.S. 1 by providing more room for maneuverability along the mainline travel lanes. This requires an inside shoulder and a more substantial outside shoulder for vehicle refuge and concrete barriers to prevent errant vehicles from leaving the highway. Also, the West Interchange Road overpass has concrete piers in the traffic island that are a hazard and of concern.
Will side street flow-through traffic increase if drivers avoid the Route 213 and Route 413 intersection?
Traffic is not projected to increase more than the current rate.
How will removing the access roads affect emergency vehicle access?
U.S. 1 would operate as any standard limited-access highway, similar to the sections north and south of the project area, for emergency vehicle access. Intermediate access gates could also be added if discussions with emergency management services prove necessary.
What is a shared-use path?
A shared-use path uses a single face barrier and a grass buffer to provide a barrier between the two directions. The shared-use path can function as any type of trail accommodating bikes, pedestrians, and other non-motorized vehicles.
Has there been consideration of closing the Bellevue Avenue exits and expanding the Maple Avenue exits to preserve the historic district?
Removing the proposed interchange or not having any interchange in the Pine Street/Bellevue Avenue area and pushing all traffic to Maple Avenue was not studied.
Route 213 heading into the borough is heavily traveled, so moving the traffic from the Route 413/Bellevue Avenue area to Maple Avenue would greatly increase traffic and congestion at the Maple Avenue interchange. It is better to split traffic at the interchanges and make improvements to Route 413.
The previous project limit stayed out of the historic district, although Langhorne Borough brought up additional items they wanted the project to address. At the request of Langhorne Borough, the project limits were extended into the historic district. This was done to address traffic calming concerns and pedestrian access concerns between Flowers Avenue and Route 213.
Will a roundabout be constructed at Highland Avenue near the high school?
From a safety perspective and the operational perspective with the traffic analysis, it was determined that a roundabout would be the preferred solution at this intersection, as opposed to a traffic signal or a stop-controlled intersection.
Will this project increase the amount of truck traffic and emissions on Route 413 in Langhorne?
Air quality analysis is part of the preliminary environmental engineering clearance and is currently being assessed in the context of the proposed improvements. Results will be included as part of the environmental assessment report being prepared for the project. Adjustments based on actions by the current administration in the federal government are also being assessed.
The current traffic and future traffic projections regarding the development of the area are being considered. This project itself is not a traffic generator. We are not creating any new industry that would contribute to an increase in traffic.
What criteria is included in the environmental assessment and who determines acceptable levels?
The project noise assessment is being performed in accordance with Federal Highway Administration and PennDOT guidelines, which are outlined in PennDOT’s Noise Abatement Brochure.
The conditions during the first year of construction determine the noise impacts. Residential impacts typically occur around 66 decibels. Noise abatement options are determined based on each location.
What is the projected total cost of the RC3 project?
The total cost is approximately $150 million, although many caveats and contingencies are built into that number. The cost could change when construction begins in 2029 due to inflation, changes in design, and the cost of materials at that time.