SR 0016 is a rural route in south-central Pennsylvania that carries approximately 20,000 vehicles per day, many of which are trucks.  Steep grades along a 1.8 mile-long corridor often result in uphill speeds of less than 20 mph for trucks, and numerous collisions have occurred in recent years.  PennDOT contracted JMT to widen the existing roadway from two lanes to three lanes to provide a truck climbing lane. 

Due to the location of the roadway within the Michaux State Forest and the presence of an Appalachian Trail crossing of SR 0016 within the project limits, JMT encountered numerous challenges: minimizing impacts to the State Forest and the Trail; avoiding parks, wetlands, streams, and critical habitat; avoiding impacts to an eligible historic property and potential archaeological sites; coordinating with numerous resource and review agencies; and minimizing the “chasing” of steep slopes to minimize property impacts and construction costs. 

Our design produced a new alignment with a truck climbing lane that was threaded between numerous environmental constraints by widening either the north or south side at select locations and sometimes by straddling the existing centerline.  Overall, the aesthetic qualities of the area were maintained, with little or no disruption to residents and local businesses, resulting in a sustainable design. 

Project features included:

• Development of several alignment alternatives
• Assessment and selection of the preferred alignment
• Final design documents
• Relocation of overhead electric, cable and telephone lines and sanitary sewer line
• Coordination with National Park Service, Appalachian Trail Conference, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, Nature Conservancy, Pennsylvania District Forester, and municipal officials