NORTH CORNWALL TOWNSHIP, Pa. - PennDOT is hoping new innovative pavement will improve roadway safety in North Cornwall Township. Representatives from PennDot and the township held a High Friction Surface Treatment demonstration on the "s-curve" on Route 241 near Mill Road.
HFS uses water-resistant stones to create increased gripping on roadways, which helps keep cars in their lanes when the roads get slippery around curves and allows them to stop.
According to a safety study, this specific demonstration site has contributed to about 11 crashes per year since 2008. Over the last five years, Pennsylvania has averaged about 200 fatalities and 450 major injuries per year due to crashes on wet pavement.
"Simply put, one fatality or one accident is one too many," PennDOT Deputy Secretary Scott Christie said, "and the fact is that when you use this product, statistics show that it drives down the number of accidents and it drives down the number of fatalities."
So far PennDot has installed HFS treatment to 63 locations around the commonwealth.