Latest news with #Thruway
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
NYS asks drivers to use caution in work zones
NEW YORK STATE (WWTI) – New York State officials are asking the public to be mindful of others when traveling through work zones. This week from April 21-25 is National Work Zone Awareness Week. This is to coincide with the start of road construction season with the weather feeling more spring-like. Your Stories Q&A: Are work zone speed limits enforced on weekends and off-hours? This year's theme is 'Respect the zone so we all get home.' Governor Kathy Hochul is promoting work zone safety by urging all drivers to slow down, stay alert and follow New York State's Move Over Law to protect roadside workers and other motorists. Every roadside worker deserves to return home safely at the end of their shift. We're asking all drivers to do their part by reducing speed, eliminating distractions and staying vigilant in work zones so that our hard-working and dedicated roadside workers are safe. A few extra seconds of your time and attention can save a life. New York Governor Kathy Hochul Last year, there were more than 156 crashes in Thruway work zones resulting in one fatality and 30 injuries. Distracted driving, following too closely, an unsafe lane change or disregarding traffic warning signs caused the majority of the crashes. Also, two Thruway Authority employees died and another was seriously injured in separate incidents while working on the New York State Thruway. In its 70-plus year history, 22 Thruway employees have been killed while on duty. In 2024, there were also 322 intrusions in New York State Department of Transportation work zones. These intrusions resulted in the deaths of two drivers who entered the work zones and 138 additional injuries to highway workers and the traveling public. A total of 58 members of the NYSDOT family have died on the job across New York State, dating as far back as 1939. Throughout National Work Zone Awareness Week, the New York State Thruway Authority and NYSDOT will be hosting awareness events, lighting digital highway signs with safety messages and sharing important safety reminders on social media platforms. In addition — at the direction of Governor Hochul — State landmarks will be illuminated in orange on Wednesday, April 23 in recognition of Go Orange Day. Drivers are encouraged to: Slow down when approaching work zones. Move over for all stopped vehicles including roadside workers, emergency responders and disabled vehicles. Stay off phones and avoid other distractions while driving. Follow posted signs and flagger instructions. Over 425,000 Notices of Liability have been issued statewide, with over 38,000 repeat offenders since the AWZSE program began issuing Notices of Liability in May 2023. In locations where the cameras have been present more than once, fewer Notices of Liability are being issued, meaning that people are slowing down when cameras are present. Fines through the pilot program are issued as follows: First Notice of Liability: $50 fine Second Notice of Liability: $75 fine if within an 18-month period of first violation Third and Subsequent Notices of Liability: $100 fine if within an 18-month period of first violation Starting with National Work Zone Awareness Week and continuing through the construction season, the New York State Police and local law enforcement agencies will once again be conducting 'Operation Hardhat' details to enforce vehicle and traffic laws in highway work zones. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
OurBus considering launching bus service linking Reading to Philadelphia
A New York company is looking to fill a transportation gap left by the recent decision by Amtrak to discontinue bus service between Reading and Philadelphia later this month. OurBus, a business that specializes in providing intercity bus routes, announced this week that it is considering launching a bus route between the two cities. Officials said they are actively studying the possibility of establishing a replacement service that would include stops in Reading, Pottstown and 30th Street Station in Philadelphia. 'OurBus is currently assessing travel patterns and customer input before making a final decision to launch the service,' Axel Hellman, one of the two founders of the company, said in a press release. Hellman encouraged community members to provide their feedback and suggestions through an online survey at He said the information they gather from the survey will help determine departure times, days of operation and ticket prices. Hellman said OurBus is considering replacing the route and extending the service to another destination like Philadelphia International Airport, so that the service appeals to a larger audience. Hellman said a final decision about whether to launch the service will be announced by March 14. The announcement from OurBus comes after officials from Amtrak said last week that the company did an extensive evaluation of the route and found that ridership was too low to warrant continuing it. The service will end effective March 18. Amtrak launched the bus service between Reading and Philadelphia, with a stop in Pottstown, in June 2022. The service featured two daily round trips. Reading Mayor Eddie Moran said the potential service is a positive development. 'We're grateful to hear that OurBus is considering restoring the bus route between Reading and Philadelphia following the cancellation of Amtrak's Thruway service,' he said in a press release. The cancellation of the Amtrak bus service came as officials in Berks, Montgomery and Chester counties continue to work on a plan to restore passenger rail service between Reading and Philadelphia. The line would include stops in Reading, Pottstown and Phoenixville. Despite finding a possible solution to the bus service issue, Moran said he remains fully supportive of the return of rail service to Reading in the future.
