ROAD WATCH for 7-11
PennDOT has fully implemented the federally mandated National Motor Vehicle Titling Information System, providing one more tool to aid PennDOT’s extensive efforts to mitigate the risk for vehicle fraud.
This will protect consumers from unsafe or stolen vehicles.
“The implementation of NMVTIS gives PennDOT one more tool to protect vehicle purchasers against fraud,” said Kurt Myers, PennDOT’s deputy secretary for safety administration.
Auto theft costs insurance companies and consumers nearly $8 billion a year.
Only 63 percent of the 1.3 million vehicles stolen annually throughout the U.S. are recovered.
“Brand washing” – removing descriptive labels or “brands” assigned by a state to identify a vehicle’s condition when transferring and retitling a defective or unsafe vehicle in a different state, not only costs consumers money, but potentially endangers their lives.
NMVTIS is a consolidated database of vehicle titling information compiled by participating state motor vehicle agencies. It allows for the vehicle titling history to be accessible to motor vehicle departments and consumers to verify key vehicle titling information, including Vehicle Identification Number, odometer information and state “brand” information describing the vehicle’s current or prior condition, such as “junk,” “salvage,” or “flood.”
Thirty-four states including Pennsylvania, currently supply information to NMVTIS.
Through this system, PennDOT will be able to verify a vehicle title by immediately checking electronically against the titling history of about 81 percent of the motor vehicles in the U.S.
If the information returned by NMVTIS raises any questions, the vehicle will not be titled until further research is conducted to mitigate the potential for fraud.
More information about NMVTIS is available at www.nmvtis.gov.
Bridge Closing
The Ben Franklin Bridge will be closed to all vehicular traffic 6:30-7:45 a.m. today for the 38th annual American Cancer Society Bike-a-thon.
Driver License Center Moves
The Bortondale Driver License and Photo Center at 440 S. Old Middletown Road in Middletown has moved to Route 352 (Middletown Road) adjacent to the Granite Run Mall.l
It provides more customer convenience with expanded customer seating in a facility three times the size of the Bortondale location, PennDOT says.
The photo center will be open 8:30 a.m.-4:15 p.m. Monday-Saturday, with extended hours until 6 p.m. Thursdays.
South Gulph Road
A traffic pattern shift is scheduled on South Gulph Road at Henderson Road in Upper Merion, Montgomery County, 9 a.m.-noon Monday for line painting and traffic signal timing.
The following week PECO Energy crews will replace a gas main on South Gulph Road between Henderson Road and Crooked Lane. Motorists will face lane restrictions July 19-23 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Route 1/I-76
The eastbound I-76 (Schuylkill Expressway) on-ramp to Route 1 North (Roosevelt Expressway) will be closed weeknights the next two weeks through July 23 from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. the next morning, PennDOT reports.
I-76 East traffic wanting to access Route 1 North (Roosevelt Expressway) will exit at Montgomery Drive and follow to the I-76 West on-ramp and take I-76 West to the Route 1 North on-ramp.
The Route 1 South on-ramp to I-76 West will also be closed weeknights 8 p.m.-5 a.m. the next two weeks through July 23.
Route 1 South motorists wanting to access I-76 West will exit onto I-76 East and follow to Montgomery Drive and then exit onto Montgomery Drive and follow to the I-76 West on-ramp.
The right lane will be closed on the southbound Route 1 Twin Bridge weeknights the next two weeks through July 23, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. and 8 p.m.-5 a.m. for bridge deck demolition.
The northbound Route 1 Twin Bridge will be reduced from three lanes to two weeknights the next two weeks through July 23 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. for bridge deck demolition.
Motorists are advised to allow extra time when traveling on the Route 1 bridges because delays will occur. People should use alternative routes.
The work is part of PennDOT’s $10.7 million project to rehabilitate the deck, superstructure and substructure of the Route 1 Twin Bridges over the Schuylkill River. It is financed with American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds.
Schuylkill Expressway
The right lane will be closed on I-76 West (Schuylkill Expressway) between South Street and the Vine Expressway (I-676) July 17, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. for a bridge inspection.
The eastbound right lane will be closed on July 18, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
I-95
One lane will be closed on I-95 North/South between Allegheny and Castor avenues in Philadelphia 9 p.m.-5 a.m. Monday-Thursday for expansion dam installation.
Also, during the same time, the right lane will be closed on I-95 North/South between the Walt Whitman Bridge and Washington Avenue in Philadelphia for sound wall installation.
Traffic Delays
Radnor – Goshen Road, road work costing $1.3 million, closed/detoured 24 hours daily between Darby-Paoli and Hunt roads for roadway reconstruction and realignment to remove a sharp curve through Aug. 21. Work began March 1. Goshen Road will be detoured over Darby-Paoli Road, Bryn Mawr Avenue, Route 3, Route 252 and Goshen Road.
Concord – Baltimore Pike, bridge replacement with lane restrictions on bridge over Chester Creek 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays through June 2011. Work began in September 2009.
Baltimore Pike (U.S. Route 1) – Middletown and Chester Heights, bridge replacement with lane restrictions between Darlington and Station roads, 24-hour restrictions through June 2011. Work began Oct. 12.
Road Watch/Road Rant appears Sundays. Only messages and mail with phone numbers will be considered. E-mail: jroman@delcotimes.com.