Columnist: Dan Hartzell

Extra lane confuses at Catasauqua Road light

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Q: Recently a second right-turn lane was added from Catasauqua Road onto Airport Road northbound. I'm not sure who came up with the idea to add another lane or why, but there have been numerous close calls every day at this intersection since the lane was added. Thinking of the two right-turn lanes specifically, traffic in the right lane is supposed to go exclusively onto the entrance ramp to 22 east, while cars in the left lane are supposed to continue on Airport Road. However, most remaining on Airport Road still use the right lane, then cut off cars to the left so that they can continue on Airport. The only marking telling drivers which lane is which consists of two pint-size placards about 200 feet from the intersection, which is grossly insufficient. When both right-turn arrows go green, it's a free-for-all upon entering Airport Road, with drivers from the right lane consistently cutting off those who are properly in the left lane. This new turning lane is hazardous and has done nothing to deal with any increased traffic at the intersection.

Road Warrior -- should we be parking head-in or head-out?

Mon, 6 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Q. I've been wondering since I moved here some years ago from the Minneapolis-St. Paul area why so many Lehigh Valley drivers back into parking spaces. This phenomenon occurs at mall and grocery-store lots. It is very aggravating to wait while drivers slowly maneuver their cars into the spaces, sometimes repeatedly adjusting position, moving backward, forward, back again, etc. I've seen people who don't perform this action very well clip nearby cars because they've misjudged.

PennDOT takes long road to fix curve

Fri, 3 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

PennDOT takes long road to fix curve

Fri, 3 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Q. I wrote you some time ago about the long-forgotten PennDOT plan to eliminate the bad curve and straighten Route 191 in the Ackermanville section of Washington Township, Northampton County. PennDOT acquired the old Speers General Store through eminent domain and tore it down many years ago to make way for the realignment, yet there are no signs of any highway improvements to this day. I'm no longer a resident of the Slate Belt, but I still travel in that area and wonder why this long-overdue project never got into gear. What changed PennDOT's mind, if that's what happened?

PennDOT expands joint-repair efforts on I-78

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Q: The lanes of I-78 west of Route 61 are suffering from the same problem as Route 22 from 15th Street to the Lehigh River Bridge: Blown-up expansion joints. This area of 78 was repaved just a few years ago, and every expansion joint in the low-speed lane is a bump. Does PennDOT plan to correct this condition properly in the near future?

Frustrated caller detoured by PennDOT

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Q: "Dan, this is John Brinson calling, it's 12:36 Monday (afternoon), and I am stuck on I-78 westbound between 309 and the 22 merger. I called Ron Young at PennDOT and they have a lane closed because they're doing some crack filling. This is totally unacceptable; it is maddening; traffic is backed up, I'll bet you traffic is backed up to New Jersey. These (golldang) people cannot do this to the driving public. It is unbelievable damage they're causing to this Valley, the way they shut down the major roads here, 78 and 22, they shut them down because they will not leave two lanes open during road work, and they've got plenty of room to do it if they'd use the shoulders temporarily. Ron said they can't let anybody use the shoulders because they're not designed for traffic loads. Well they certainly should be used during crack-filling and tree-trimming and that kind of crap, because it's, it's just totally maddening. And I'm not the only one who's going crazy here, I mean there are miles and miles of trucks backed up and cars backed up This doesn't happen anywhere else in the country. I travel a lot, and I've never seen it this bad, 78 is the worst (golldang) road there is, anywhere. (Sigh.) Thanks for listening. Goodbye."

Mail trucks deliver without a license

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Q. I've noticed that the trucks our mail carriers use have no license plates or inspection stickers on them. I believe other government vehicles conform to state registration and inspection requirements. I wonder why these U.S. Postal Service vehicles would be exempt. Do they have regular safety inspections? I'd feel safer if I knew they were properly maintained.

Rules of road differ for cyclists, walkers

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Q: My wife and I walk for exercise and enjoyment. We walk facing traffic when sidewalks are not available. Is this the best way, or does the law dictate that you have to walk ''with'' traffic? I once read an article about a hit-and-run pedestrian accident where it was noted that the individual hit was on the wrong side of the road. I'm confused. Which is the ''wrong'' side of the road?

PennDOT spots a way to reduce tailgating

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Q. Why are there large white dots painted on the road on I-80 east, just before the Route 33 exit at Bartonsville? I think the dots contribute to traffic jams. They appear on both lanes, with signs advising motorists to keep two dots between vehicles. When traffic is heavy, people start slowing down at the dots, and eventually traffic backs up. After inching along for 45 minutes, you finally reach the dots and traffic starts to pick up. By the time you pass the last dot you are back to 65 mph, cursing under your breath so the kids don't hear you. How can we get rid of these dots?

Close Dauphin? It's the American (park)way

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Q: My daily work commute to Lehigh Valley Industrial Park takes me past the N. Dauphin Street/Hanover Avenue intersection in Allentown. Rumor has it that Dauphin Street will be permanently closed at this intersection. If that is true, I believe the traffic lights there should be turned off and covered, or removed. City taxpayers are paying for the energy to keep the lights functioning (always green for Hanover). In this case, a green light is not the ''green'' way to go.