PA 41 is a key, urban artery classified as a regional arterial in the town center within the project area, and has an annual average daily traffic (AADT) of approximately 18,300 vehicles per day, including 13% trucks.
PA 41 has a posted speed limit of 35 miles per hour through the Borough of Avondale. PA 41 provides a two–lane crossing of the creek but expands to include an exclusive left-turn lane at each adjacent intersection. This suburban area consists primarily of commercial and residential development. There are sidewalks on both sides of the roadway, with pedestrian and bicycle accommodations within the borough.
State Street is an urban collector roadway in the project area and is Borough-owned. The existing AADT on State Street is approximately 4,700 vehicles per day, including 5% trucks.
1st Street is classified as an urban local road that is also Borough-owned. The existing AADT on 1st Street is approximately 1,900 vehicles per day, including 10% trucks.
Avondale Borough is defined as a historic district and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
This project will evaluate the deficient geometry of the intersection, consider realignment of the 1st Street approach, improve sight distance, investigate additional turning lanes and Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) features, improve sidewalk and pedestrian access, and accommodate heavy vehicle traffic at the intersection.
The consultant design team has initiated preliminary studies for improvements to the PA 41/State Street intersection. An initial environmental overview, traffic analysis, and field surveys have been completed and a range of conceptual solutions are being developed. The PA 41 Bridge over White Clay Creek, which is located within 300’ of the intersection, is also being evaluated for rehabilitation or replacement. Due to the proximity of the bridge, alternatives developed for the two areas may influence each other.
Both projects are located within the Avondale Historic District, which was determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. Since that time, PennDOT, the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) have agreed that the historic district National Register of Historic Places boundary should be reevaluated to better document the context for the historic district, update the boundary for the district, and to document the resources that contribute to the district. As part of these projects, the consultant team for PennDOT has prepared information to update the historic district documentation. Coordination between PennDOT, SHPO, FHWA, and the Advisory Council regarding the historic district is ongoing.
The initial study of the PA 41/State Street intersection focused on developing conceptual solutions consisting of low to medium-cost improvements. Examples include signal equipment, pedestrian access upgrades, and various combinations of additional turn lanes and re-alignment of the side approaches to improve sight distance. As a result of community input, two more options focused on improving the intersection’s capacity are currently being evaluated by the project team. One option is to replace the existing traffic signal with a multi-lane roundabout. The second option includes adding a second southbound through lane from State Street to Baltimore Pike and upgrading the existing traffic signal. Right-of-way impacts associated with each option are a primary consideration in this developed area. PennDOT will continue to coordinate with Avondale Borough and gather public input before identifying a recommended alternative.
