New signals could ease congestion from McKnight to Butler County

PennDOT hopes lights help entire corridor

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

By September, motorists in the North Hills may be able to drive from McKnight Road in Ross to the Butler County line without stopping for a red light.

Contractor Lindy Paving Inc. of New Castle resumed work this week on a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation plan to install five adaptive traffic signals on McKnight Road, which use sensors and cameras at each intersection to judge traffic and keep it flowing on the main road. Three others will be replaced on other nearby roads.

That means a motorist who catches the first light as it turns green should be able to go through the whole corridor to Route 19 without stopping since the lights will no longer be on a set timing system.

Todd Kravits, traffic engineer for PennDOT’s District 11, said the McKnight lights will be linked to a similar system in the Wexford Flats area of Route 19 in McCandless that extends to Butler County.

“We’re very hopeful these adaptive lights are going to help the whole corridor,” he said.

The adaptive signals on McKnight will be added at Duncan Avenue, Cumberland Road, Arcadia and Blazier drives, and Pine Creek Road; on Duncan at

Covenant Avenue; and on Route 19 at Shenot and Wexford Bayne roads.

In addition to Wexford Flats, the signals have been successful at reducing congestion on Route 22 from the end of the Parkway East in Monroeville to the intersection of Mellon and Manor roads in Murrysville. The lights haven’t been used long enough here to produce meaningful statistics, but in other states officials say they also reduce the number of accidents, especially rearend collisions.

Last year, a 4-mile section of McKnight Road received new pavement as part of a $7.34 million contract.

This year’s work also will include installing ramps to meet the Americans with Disabilities Act, updating signs, replacing guiderails and repairing concrete gutters.

Some daylight and overnight lane restrictions could occur beginning next month.

PennDOT also has three other projects this year to install adaptive light signals under a $3.42 million contract:

• 24 signals lights on Route 8 from Kittanning Street in Etna to Dicky Road in Richland;

• Eight signals on Route 30 in Forest Hills from Marlboro Road to Avenue B;

• Two signals on Route 60 in Robinson from Lorish Road to Interstate 79.