The Dangers of Pottsgrove Interchange in Pennsylvania

More than 50 car accidents have occurred over the past year at the Route 422 interchange in Pottsgrove, with seven of those accidents occurring in the past four months.
Pottsgrove police and PennDOT officials are focusing their attention on the problem that is particularly dangerous for the commercial trucks as they turn onto the Route 422 interchange at Arm and Hammer Boulevard along the construction route. Investigators have reported problems with the rear end of these trucks hitting the last corner of the construction barrier, forcing them to fishtail and jump the embankment.

Road closures, hazardous waste removal, clean up of spilled gasoline, and traffic headaches have local residents and police desperate for a solution to the problem. According to police officials, speeding through the construction zone is one of the greatest risks to drivers in this area. The local speed limit is posted as 40 miles per hour on this road, with drivers expected to slow down when approaching or driving through the narrow construction barriers.

Obeying local speed limits and using caution in the narrow lanes throughout the construction zone will reduce the risk of car and truck accidents. Large commercial trucks need to stay in the left lane when approaching the on ramp at Armand Hammer Boulevard to avoid coming into contact with the construction barriers. Once these trucks hit the barrier, it is hard for them to control the vehicle as they go onto the entrance ramp to Route 422.

Officials fear that the ongoing problem will result in more serious injuries and fatalities if it is not addressed quickly. Local police and PennDOT officials are working on ways to rectify the problem and make the route safer during the construction phase. Though smaller vehicles such as cars and pick-up trucks have been involved in car accidents at the interchange, the main concern is with the large commercial trucks that pose a significant risk of serious or fatal injury when they are forced over the embankment at the interchange.

For now, commercial truck drivers and all motorists need to drive with caution through this area, and be especially cognizant of the problem that the commercial trucks are experiencing. Pottsgrove police and PennDOT officials met recently to discuss ways to reduce the accident rate at the interchange and are currently in the process of implementing several of these improvements. Commercial trucks will be limited to one lane at the interchange and the guardrail will be expanded to help improve the problem of trucks veering over the embankment. Milling and patchwork will be done on the road surface to eliminate uneven patches and potholes, and the lane lines will be repainted to help guide drivers through the construction zone.