$6.2-million project will reconfigure dangerous Route 997 intersection near Waynesboro
The work will include the installation of two roundabouts on Route 997 in Washington Township, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Route 997 also is known as Anthony Highway.
The first roundabout will be located at the intersection where Orchard Road meets Route 997 on one side and Tomstown Road meets Route 997 on the other.
The second roundabout will be installed a little farther north where Washington Township Boulevard will be extended to meet Route 997.
The section of Tomstown Road between Route 997 and Washington Township Boulevard will be permanently closed later this construction season, a PennDOT news release says.
Once Upon Our Times: Chicken thieves, axing porkers and growing corn were in the news in Tomstown in 1900
Mitchell Knorr Contracting of Bloomsburg is the contractor on the $6,244,217 project, and work is expected to be completed by Aug. 22, 2028.
On average, more than 10,000 vehicles go through the intersection each day, with more than 5,200 on Route 997 and the remainder on the other two roads.
Drivers at the oversize stop signs on Orchard and Tomstown roads at Route 997 see yellow signs instructing them to 'Look Left-Right-Left Before Pulling Out.' Traffic on Route 997 does not stop.
For years, the intersection has been a 'hot bed' for accidents, according to Washington Township Manager Vernon Ashway.
'In my experience, it's the most common place for fatal accidents to occur in our township,' Ashway said. Prior to joining township administration eight years ago, he was a member of the township police department for 28 years and investigated many accidents at the intersection.
'It's been a long time coming,' said Ted Snowberger, a Washington Township supervisor.
Between 2019 and 2023, the most recent year for which statistics are available, 38 accidents were reported at the intersection. PennDOT's 'crash severity' data for the five-year period indicates:
1 with a fatality
2 with suspected serious injuries
11 with suspected minor injuries
1 with injuries of unknown severity
1 unknown if there were injuries
20 property damage only
The initial traffic impact of the work will be minor, with much of it occurring off the road, according to a PennDOT news release.
'This includes utility relocation, the installation of erosion and sediment controls, clearing and grubbing, excavation and other construction activities,' the news release says. 'There may be lane shifts and short-term lane restrictions, as needed, during this phase of the project.
In the community: See pictures from the 29th annual Waynesboro Business Expo held on Feb. 15, 2025
'This project also consists of roadway widening, ADA curb ramps, drainage improvements, stormwater management, and new lighting,' the release continues.
Local businesses and homes will remain accessible and there will be 'single-lane flagging operations planned for short periods of work' on Route 997.
There may be brief detours on Orchard Road and Washington Township Boulevard during construction and PennDOT will provide updates via news release as the project moves forward.
This article originally appeared on Waynesboro Record Herald: Route 997 near Waynesboro getting roundabouts in PennDOT project
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
PennDOT plans long-term closure of I-83 on-ramp; delays expected next Sunday
HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — An Interstate 83 onramp will be closed beginning next Sunday and it'll last awhile. PennDOT says the ramp from 19th Street to I-83 northbound in Harrisburg will close Sunday, August 24. The closure, weather permitting, will begin at 9 p.m. and will be in place until the 19th Street Bridge is replaced and a new ramp is built. Drivers on I-83 should expect delays Sunday night into Monday morning as well in the area of the ramp. A PennDOT contractor will be working on sign structures in the area and there will be rolling stops of up to 15 minutes northbound. These will take place between midnight and 5 a.m. Drivers who normally use the 19th Street ramp should take Paxton Street to 32nd Street, 32nd to Wayne, and enter Interstate 83 there. Get traffic alerts from the abc27 mobile app for the latest local delays and road closures This is part of the ongoing Interstate 83 Capital Beltway project. The entire project is expected to wrap up in October 2027. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
CBS News
7 days ago
- CBS News
PennDOT and AAA team up to discuss back to school commute safety
With the return to school comes reminders about safety. Whether you're riding in a school bus, maybe driving something smaller, or even walking, the message from AAA East Central and PennDOT is clear: everyone needs to be in on making the trips to and from school safe. For drivers, that may require starting your commute a little bit earlier, so you're not rushing to your destination. "It's crucial that you take steps so that you're not stressed out because then when you're stressed, you're more tempted to do more dangerous things behind the wheel," Jim Garrity of AAA East Central said. If you have younger kids walking to school, you may want to go over safety tips before they go back. "Do it a couple of times before school starts just so that they feel comfortable and confident," Yasmeen Manyisha of PennDOT District 11 said. For teenagers who may be driving to school, it's important to root out any distractions that could take their eyes off the road. "If that means putting the cell phone in the back seat, if that means putting the do not disturb function on your phone, do it," Garrity said. Garrity also said that one of the biggest distractions for teenagers is other teenagers who may provide distractions as passengers. Parents should speak with teenagers even though they may not think they have to listen to safety tips. It's more than talking with them, Garrity said; parents must be good examples. But it's also more than that – it's showing the right behaviors as well. "If you are a distracted driver or an aggressive driver, chances are they'll end up one too," he said. When it comes to being safe on school buses, Manyisha said that parents should make sure kids aren't acting up or walking on the bus. Actions that end up distracting bus drivers can put everyone on the bus at risk. If there's an emergency, like a crash or a bus fire, Manyisha says kids should know where the emergency exits are. For example, every bus has one on the back door. "There should be one on each side, there should be one on the roof," Manyisha said. If you need to get out of a school bus in an emergency? Do not rush to the back and jump out the door. "Make sure you're sitting down on the floor, and kind of scooting out of the bus," Manyisha said.
CBS News
11-08-2025
- CBS News
PennDOT hoping to use weekend closure of Parkway East as a learning lesson
The full closure of the Parkway East outside of the Squirrel Hill Tunnel proved to be eye opening for drivers and for PennDOT, who say they hope to use it as a learning lesson. Lessons were learned ahead of next year's 25-day closure of the Parkway East when the new Commercial Street Bridge will be installed. Some things went well. Other things were problematic. The full closure of the Parkway from the Squirrel Hill exit to the Edgewood/Swissvale exit sent traffic onto the planned detour through Wilkinsburg and Oakland. "It flowed pretty well," said PennDOT Senior Assistant Construction Engineer John Myler. Not everyone used the planned detour, however. "A lot of traffic was not exiting at our detour as much as going to the closest point that they could, which were the Squirrel Hill and Edgewood/Swissvale exits, instead of exiting at Wilkinsburg or Forbes Avenue," Myler said. So the heart of Squirrel Hill took a traffic snarling hit. "We did get some feedback from sone local community members about extra traffic in the Squirrel Hill area and people being kind of lost and maybe speeding and things like that," Myler said. "So we're going to work with the city and try and correct some of those things as well for the long term closure that will take place next year." The main detour route revealed some traffic light issues that PennDOT says they expected and have already been addressing with the city. "We'll be implementing those changes over the winter here in preparation for next year to really help them improve that traffic flow when we have high volumes on it next year," Myler said. Those changes will be critical as the 25-day closure will deal with weekday rush hour traffic, a dramatic contrast to this past weekend's closure. As far as some of the other detour routes, PennDOT says there was increased traffic on Rt. 837, Allegheny River Boulevard, and Rt 28, and all those routes handled the extra traffic well.
