The weekend traffic lane restrictions are necessary so that construction crews can install devices in the median barrier area called “contra-flow gates”. Once installed, these metal gates can be opened by PennDOT county maintenance crews to assist in moving traffic from the side of the highway where traffic is stopped due an incident, such as a vehicular crash, to the non-incident side of the highway where traffic can continue to move, one lane in each direction, separated by traffic cones. The diverted traffic on the opposite side of the highway would continue in that direction around the incident until it reaches the second gate location and then be redirected back onto their original side of the highway.
The idea to install these two median gate openings was prompted by concerns about crashes that could close down a direction of Route 22/322 for several hours or more while Route 11/15 on the west side of the Susquehanna River is closed for three months this year (May 1 to July 30) just south of Marysville in Perry County for a rock slope safety improvement project. With Route 11/15 closed, there are very limited options for motorists – especially commuters — traveling north and south through the Susquehanna Valley should an incident close one or both directions of Route 22/322. The contra-flow gates will provide an option to be deployed to help get motorists moving should an incident close a direction of Route 22/322 between Route 225 in Dauphin and Route 443 in Middle Paxton Township.
“We’re taking a number of steps to improve traffic flow and safety on Route 22/322 in preparation for increased traffic when it’s used as a detour later this spring and summer while Route 11/15 is closed,” said Mike Keiser, PennDOT’s District 8 Executive responsible for highways, bridges, and traffic safety in south central Pennsylvania. “The contra-flow gates are another tool in our toolbox to use if an incident should shut down one side of the highway for a prolonged period of time. It is also a tool that will remain in place long after the Route 11/15 project is finished and be available as part of the emergency response to future incidents on this portion of the Route 22/322 corridor.”
Deployment of the contra-flow gates will be considered if it is determined that a road closure in the area between the gates will extend significantly more than three hours.
