Q. There are bumps at the drainage inlets in the right lane in a section of the southbound expressway between Norristown Road and Highland Avenue. What are you planning to smooth out the ride?
A.  We are aware of the pavement conditions in that area and we're working with our contractor to improve the ride. The ride is uneven because the inlets are set at the finish grade of the final pavement layer, which will be applied later this year.  Our efforts to quickly improve the ride are hampered by the fact that paving plants are shut down during the cold weather months of January and February for maintenance and repairs. Improvements to the ride in those areas are planned as soon as possible after the plants reopen and paving material is available.

Q. When will the southbound off-ramp to Butler Pike reopen?
A. The southbound off-ramp to Butler Pike is scheduled to reopen at the completion of reconstruction on the southbound side. We expect that work to finish late in 2009 or early in 2010. The ramp then will be reopened shortly after southbound traffic is shifted back onto the rebuilt southbound lanes.

Q. Can anything be done about the ride in the northbound lanes north of Highland Avenue?
A. There are few short-term options to the conditions on the rebuilt northbound lanes of Route 309 north of Highland Avenue. The ride-ability in that section is affected by the presence of new utility accesses and drainage inlets, which are set at the finished grade of paving, while the lanes currently are paved only in a base course of blacktop, which is lower. The final paving course, the wearing course, is applied at the end of the job. In the interim, the base paving is tapered to the top of the inlets/manholes to eliminate sharp impacts, though it does create a rolling effect that is exaggerated at higher speeds. The ride is smoother when driven at the lower posted work zone speeds. Plus, there are alternate routes to that section of Route 309 -- such as Bethlehem Pike or Limekiln Pike.

Q. When will the wearing course be applied in this area?
A. We expect the final paving course to be placed in the northbound lanes late in 2009.

Q. I noticed that the traffic signal timing at the intersection Route 309 & Route 63 gives more time for traffic on Route 63 than on Route 309. Why is that?
A. The signal system at that intersection provides a minimum of eight (8) seconds of green time for vehicles on Route 309 when there is no or very little traffic detected on Route 309 (these signals have in-pavement sensors that trigger the signals' cycles). This usually occurs only during off-peak times. If there is heavy traffic on Route 309, the maximum green time ranges from 28-to-34 seconds. The full cycle for the entire intersection is always 90 seconds, and the majority of the time goes to traffic on Route 63/Welsh Road because there are a number of turning movements there, while there are no turning movements on Route 309.

Q. Why does it seem that there are so few construction workers on the project most afternoons in the summer?
A. Like many in the construction industry, contractors on the Route 309 Expressway project have adjusted their shift schedules to allow their personnel to take advantage of the cooler morning hours and avoid the heat of summer afternoons. Crews often start as early as 6 a.m., and most are off the clock by 3 p.m. in the summer, having put in a full day's work.

Q. How will I access Route 309 to and from Oreland?
A. PennDOT extended Pennsylvania Avenue as a two-way road between Fort Washington and Oreland. Motorists heading to Oreland from southbound Route 309 will exit at the new ramp in Fort Washington, then proceed onto Pennsylvania Avenue and follow the extension under Route 309 back to the current access point. Motorists coming from Oreland heading to Rt. 309 will follow Pennsylvania Avenue west under Route 309 and access the expressway at the new interchange in Fort Washington.

Q. Why has the area alongside the southbound lanes of the expressway near Norristown Road been cleared?
A. Work is underway in this area to install a retention basin as part of the expressway's drainage improvements. Also, the new southbound off-ramp to Norristown Road will be built in a section of the cleared area closer to the interchange.

Q. Why are the trees being cleared along the expressway north of Highland Avenue?
A. Trees are being removed along the perimeters of Route 309 to provide room to widen the expressway's median, shoulders and ramps and to complete other construction activities. All of the work is being done within the Commonwealth's right-of-way and not on privately-owned property. Some of the trees will be replaced at the completion of the project.

Q. When will the new on and off-ramps at Norristown Road open?
A. The new northbound on-ramp and new southbound off-ramp at the Norristown Road/Springhouse Interchange will be constructed in conjunction with the rebuilding of each side of the expressway. They will be open to traffic at the completion of the project in 2010.

Q. It can be difficult at times to enter Route 309 southbound from the on-ramp at Fort Washington. Why not close the right lane on the expressway approaching the interchange so that motorists have an easier time entering the highway and reducing backups on the ramp?
A. We have looked into this scenario and have determined that reducing the mainline capacity at this interchange to one lane would negatively affect southbound traffic flow and create dangerous backups on the main line. Traffic volumes at this interchange are the heaviest on the entire expressway, and that volume has been increased by the diversion of traffic from the temporarily-closed southbound on-ramp at Pennsylvania Avenue, which has been detoured to the southbound on-ramp at Highland Avenue.

Q. Why will the northbound on-ramp from Oreland remain closed?
A. Original construction plans called for this ramp to be permanently closed in 2006 when we closed the adjacent southbound off-ramp. However, we found a way to adjust the on-ramp so that it could remain in service during most of the ongoing construction. We had intended to reopen the ramp when we opened the new northbound collector distributor lane in June 2007. However, we found that there was inadequate sight distance, or visibility, where the old ramp meets the CD lane. We looked at numerous scenarios that would allow us to put the ramp back in service, but none which eliminated the visibility issue.

Q. Why is the southbound ramp to Oreland being closed?
A. Access to and from Oreland at that location will be replaced by a two-way road that extends Pennsylavnia Avenue between Oreland and Fort Washington. The new access will be built roughly along the path that the southbound off-ramp currently takes beneath Route 309. In order to build the two-way road, the ramp must be closed.

Q. Where can I find information about the Route 309/Sumneytown Pike Connector project in Hatfield and Towamencin townships?
A. Information on that project is available at www.pa309connector.com.

Q. There is a large pool of water that has been created along Camp Hill Road near Route 309. Is this part of the reconstruction project?
A. What you are referring to are wetlands that are being created to replace small sections of natural habitat that were needed for the widening and other improvements that are part of the Route 309 project. The replacement wetland acreage actually exceeds that of the areas that are being used for the project.

The replacement site will be planted in the fall of 2006 with Red Maples, Eastern Red Cedar, White Flowering Dogwood trees and other vegetation. It also will be equipped with other wetland enhancements designed to accommodate wildlife, including brush piles, bat houses, ground water piezometers (pressure monitors) and various markers designed to make the site a self-sustaining habitat.

During construction, the site is being monitored and treated for mosquitoes.

Q. What is the cause of the jarring bumps have appeared in spots at the north end of the expressway?
A. Those bumps are the result of recent surges in the temperature, which have caused the concrete pavement to expand quickly and rise -- or heave -- at certain points. PennDOT maintenance forces will repair the joints and restore the pavement for a smoother ride. You can help speed the repair process by calling 1-800-FIX-ROAD to report these and other maintenance items as soon as they appear.

Q. What are the large dirt mounds for that have been placed at the north end of the Route 309 Expressway?
A. Those mounds contain clean fill material that has been removed from other expressway work areas. It is being stockpiled for use during reconstruction of the northern section of the expressway beginning in 2007. Some of the material will be used to widen the west side of Route 309/Bethlehem Pike from the end of the expressway to Welsh Road. The remainder will be used to widen other areas of the expressway during reconstruction to accommodate a wider median and wider outside shoulders from the Highland Avenue Interchange north.

Q. The pavement in the reconstructed northbound and southbound lanes between Church Road and Highland Avenue seems a bit rough. Why is that?
A. Paving in this area is not completely finished. Traffic is currently riding on the binder course, the heavier layer of pavement that actually bears most of the weight of traffic. An addition layer, the smoother riding surface we associate with re-paving projects, will be placed during the final phase of the project.

Q. What are they doing in the large area adjacent to the northbound lanes just north of the Easton Road Interchange?
A. That area is being used by the contractors to store materials and equipment that will be used during reconstruction of the southern section of the expressway. It will be returned to its original state following construction.

Q. Why do the northbound on and off-ramps at the Route 73 (Church Road) Interchange remain closed?
A. Reconstruction of the center section of the Route 309 bridge at that interchange requires the continued narrowing of Church Road at the overpass. Keeping the ramps closed during bridge reconstruction reduces traffic movements through the work zone, enhancing the overall safety for motorists and workers.

Q. Are any additional on or off-ramps being added under this project?
A. A new northbound on-ramp and a new southbound off-ramp will be added to the Norristown Road/Springhouse Interchange during reconstruction of the northern section of the expressway. The northern terminus of the expressway at Bethlehem Pike also will be widened from one lane to two lanes.

Q. When will the Route 309 Expressway reconstruction be finished?
A. Reconstruction between the Highland Avenue and Route 73 (Church Road) interchanges will finish up in late 2006. The building of the new interchange at Fort Washington/PA Turnpike will take until 2008 to complete, as will work south of Route 73 (Church Road). Construction north of Highland Avenue is expected to wrap-up in mid-2010.

Q. When will the sound wall's that are part of this project going to be erected?
A. Generally, sound walls are erected during the final stages of work in a given area because they can either be damaged or get in the way during construction. Often, the sound wall posts are erected during the earlier stages, when excavation or foundation work is being done, explaining why the posts often are in place well before the panels are set.

Q. Why will it take two years to replace the Madison Avenue and Fort Washington Avenue bridges over Route 309?
A. The Fort Washington and Madison avenue bridges will take two years to reconstruct because they must be rebuilt in coordination with work on the Route 309 roadway below. The two new bridges will be longer than the existing ones in order to make room for widening of Route 309's shoulders and median. These longer spans will require the use of deeper beams to carry the load over a broader area. (In engineering parlance, beam depth increases with beam length.)

In addition, the bridge clearances on Route 309 are being increased to meet the current federal highway standards of 17 feet. To accommodate the increased clearance, the Route 309 roadway will need be be lowered before the deeper bridge beams are set. This will all be accomplished during reconstruction in this area, which will take approximately two years to complete.

Q. What is a "collector-distributor" lane?
A. A collector-distributor (C-D) is a separate lane that physically separates on- and off-ramp traffic from the mainline expressway at an interchange. It allows off ramp traffic to decelerate safely and on-ramp traffic to accelerate and collect before merging with mainline traffic.

Q. The pavement on Route 309 is rough and uneven in spots. What can be done to correct this?
A. Much of the roughness in the work zone can be attributed to traffic being shifted across pavement that already is worn to the point where it needs to be replaced, which is what the Route 309 reconstruction project is all about. When shifts and crossovers are created, areas of pavement often need to be patched or repaved at the point of transition.The wear and tear of thousands of vehicles each day can compound the effect on these transition areas. PennDOT and its contractors monitor conditions in the work zone each day and make repairs when needed. PennDOT's maintenance forces also keep an eye on the expressway as a whole and schedule repair crews as needed for areas beyond the work zones.

Motorists can do their part to keep the work zones safe and navigable by driving at the posted speed limits, as slower speeds reduce the stress at the cattle chutes and crossovers. And if you encounter potholes and other maintenance concerns at any time, simply call PennDOT's toll-free Roadway Maintenance Hotline, 800-FIX-ROAD, to report the problem and its location. We'll take it from there.