Posted on Feb 12, 2013
PennDOT officials plan to take steps to improve the intersection of routes 222 and 322 in Ephrata Township, the most accident-prone area in Lancaster County and one of the worst in the entire state.
The state plans to complete a roadway safety audit this year that will look for low-cost safety improvements that can be made at the intersection, according to Brian Walter, of PennDOT’s District 8, which includes Lancaster County.
The $75,000 audit is required because of the high number of accidents there, Walter told members of the county’s Transportation Technical Advisory Committee on Monday.
He said he was not sure exactly where the accidents happen at the interchange of Route 222, a divided, limited-access four-lane highway, and Route 322, a heavily traveled two-lane state road.
According to newspaper records, high-speed accidents that sometimes end in fatalities happen on Route 222 within a few miles of the intersection.
In a recent accident, a man was killed Thursday morning on Route 222 after losing control of his southbound vehicle. He crossed the median and struck head-on a northbound pickup truck.
Newspaper records also show there are frequent accidents at the Route 222 ramps that connect to Route 322, and along Route 322 at the underpass.
PennDOT spokeswoman Fritzi Schreffler said it is likely fatal accidents pushed the intersection to the top of the state’s safety list.
Less severe accidents, in which a vehicle can be driven from the scene, are often not reported to PennDOT.
“There could be a lot of crashes that we don’t even know about,” she said.
Schreffler said the safety audit, which will be paid with federal Highway Safety Improvement Program funds, will look for ways to make relatively simple, inexpensive improvements to the intersection.
The intersection will not be redesigned and total construction costs are expected to be in the range of $1 million to $2 million range, Walter said.
It also was announced at the meeting that plans for improvements to the intersection of President Avenue, Dillerville Road and Harrisburg Avenue are available for public review.
The $1.4 million project will include traffic signal upgrades, pedestrian accommodations and minor road widening. Construction work is expected to begin in early 2015.
Project plans are available for review during regular business hours at the Manheim Township Municipal Building, 1840 Municipal Drive, through April 12.
If you, or a loved one, are injured in a Pennsylvania car accident due to the negligence of another driver, contact an experienced Lancaster car accident lawyer at Schmidt Kramer for any accident in the Commonwealth. The toll-free number is (717) 888-8888 or dial 8 at 717-888-8888 and the case evaluation is free.