Route 896 intersection to be improved

PennDOT will install a high-friction surface treatment at the intersection of Route 896 and Appleton Road.

KEMBLESVILLE » The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) will install a high-friction surface treatment at the intersection of state Route 896 and Appleton Road in Franklin Township reported state Rep. John Lawrence, R-13. The work will be done on the “Kemblesville curve” on Route 896 at Appleton Road as crews complete the high-friction resurfacing project. Drivers are advised to allow extra time when traveling through all work areas. All scheduled activities are weather-dependent. “This intersection has been a safety concern for a long time, with a number of severe accidents. While the intersection is scheduled to be reconstructed and realigned in a few years, recent discussions between PennDOT and my office highlighted the need to make temporary improvements as soon as possible,” Lawrence said. “Adding the high-friction surface to this perennially dangerous intersection will improve traffic safety until a more permanent solution is achieved.”

High Friction Surface (HFS) treatment has been used by PennDOT across the commonwealth in recent years to reduce accidents on curved roadways with a history of wet-pavement crashes. The treatment increases friction between vehicles and the road surface, helping to keep vehicles from skidding and increasing the ability of motorists to stop in both wet and dry conditions.

The work is part of a $4.8 million resurfacing project to improve travel and safety on 25 state highways in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties.