🚗 🚙 🛻 3rd and Hulton is a challenging intersection.
You know it. We know it.
Our reality to make safety improvements at this intersection is prolonged because Hulton Road is owned and maintained by PennDot. Communities like Oakmont cannot just initiate improvements because PennDOT has to review and approve the change. PennDOT owns a lot of roadways here and across Pennsylvania, so the review of our solution and PennDOT’s approval takes time. It is not a fast process to negotiate.
🤝 We have been working with PennDot over the last year to advocate for change; widening the road is not an option, neither is the option to construct any sort of median or middle barrier in the center of Hulton Road to prevent turns into or out of 3rd Street.
🗓️ After a year of planning, we have applied for a Highway Occupancy Permit (often called a “H.O.P.”) to modify the intersection of 3rd Street and Hulton Road ( on the Oakmont Bakery/High School side of the intersection) to have a right turn slip-lane, or what most people know as a “pork chop.”
👉 This will direct vehicle traffic to turn right as they exit 3rd Street onto Hulton.
🚫 Crossing 2 lanes to go across Hulton Bridge will no longer be an option when this safety enhancement is installed.
Here’s a look at our crude, not to scale artwork:
➡️ A. ⬅️ Our vehicle accident data confirmed the biggest cause of accidents is vehicles leaving 3rd Street and making an illegal left turn.
➡️ B. ⬅️ The “pork chop” will force people FROM 3rd Street to exit right on to Hulton.
➡️ C. ⬅️ People will still be able to enter on to 3rd Street FROM Hulton except during the windows of 7-9 am and 2-4 pm.
⏰ Our estimated timeline: We are in the process of applying for the H.O.P. We will be putting out bids for construction, and construction will aim to be completed in the summer after the US Open and before the school year starts. While we wish this could move faster, this is a state road, and our timeline is beyond our control.
For full social media post, click here: https://www.facebook.com/323175417442258/posts/528444556915342