The latest LTAP news for you

SPRING 2024 ISSUE

Upcoming On-Site LTAP Classes

Roadside Vegetation Control

8 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., Mar. 18

Ferguson Township Building, State College

Roadside Vegetation Control

8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Mar. 22

Berwick Borough Building, Berwick

Traffic Signals Basics

8 a.m. – 12 noon, Apr. 16

Old Lycoming Township Fire Hall, Williamsport

Temporary Traffic Control

8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Apr. 25

Patton Township Municipal Building, State College

Erosion and Sedimentation Control

8 a.m. – 12 noon, Apr. 30

Old Lycoming Township Fire Hall, Williamsport

Micro-surfacing and UTFC

8 a.m. – 12 noon, May 14

Old Lycoming Township Fire Hall, Williamsport

Stormwater Control Measures

8 a.m. – 3 p.m., May 20

Berwick Borough Building, Berwick

Traffic Signs Basics

8 a.m. – 12 noon, May 23

Ferguson Township Building, State College

Roadside Safety Features

8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Jun. 13

Ferguson Township Building, State College

LTAP Virtual Drop-in/Training Sessions

Small Roundabout with a Big Impact

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon, Mar. 7

MUTCD 11^th Edition – What Does It Mean for Municipalities?

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon, Apr. 4

Nighttime Visibility for Safety

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon, May 2

Chainsaw Safety Class

SEDA-COG is in the process of scheduling a special training on chainsaw safety for July 2024. This will be led by Penn College faculty at its Earth Science Center. It will be an all-day course and involve hands-on training for up to 30 attendees. If you have any questions or would like to register, contact Don Kiel at (570) 524-4491 or dkiel@seda-cog.org.

FHWA Safe System Video

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has released a 5-minute video explaining the goal of Zero Deaths or Vision Zero in traffic crashes and a Safe System approach. The zero deaths vision acknowledges that even one death on our transportation system is unacceptable and focuses on safe mobility for all road users. Reaching zero deaths requires the implementation of a Safe System approach, which was founded on the principles that humans make mistakes and that human bodies have limited ability to tolerate crash impacts. Applying the Safe System approach involves anticipating human mistakes by designing and managing road infrastructure to keep the risk of a mistake low; and when a mistake leads to a crash, the impact on the human body doesn’t result in a fatality or serious injury. Click here to view the new video.

Road Crew Survey

SEDA-COG has prepared an online survey for collecting data about and priorities for municipal road or public works crews in the region. The survey can be found HERE. Municipalities are requested to complete the survey by March 29.

Equipment Operator Training

Novice and experienced equipment operators may not recognize the potential for accidents or safety hazards that can cause serious damage to people or property. The first step toward limiting accidents is learning the proper way to operate the equipment. This course provides the theory and fundamental hands-on knowledge needed to effectively operate a backhoe, road grader, front‐end loader, and more.

While practice is key to becoming efficient, workshops like this help to ensure that running heavy equipment safely is second nature. Students will receive a certificate of completion for their records at the end of the training.

June 7, 2024

Pennsylvania College of Technology Earth Science Center & River Property Training Site, Montgomery.

Contact Don Kiel at (570) 524-4491 or dkiel@seda-cog.org with questions or to register students.

PennDOT Connects Municipal Outreach Sessions

This is your opportunity to interact with PennDOT, your local metropolitan planning organization or rural planning organization (MPO or RPO) staff, and other municipalities in your area. Participants will be encouraged to contribute their own experiences and to share their best practices in planning, land use, and project delivery.

PennDOT District 2: March 25, 2024 from 1-3 p.m. 70 PennDOT Drive, Clearfield, PA 16830. Register here.

PennDOT District 3: May 29, 2024 from 1-3 p.m. Virtual only. Register here .

West Branch COG Equipment Show & Municipal Training

There will be many vendors to visit and speak with at this event, along with training opportunities. The show is May 15, 2024 from 9 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. at the Lycoming County Fairgrounds, Hughesville, PA 17737. A free lunch will be provided. RSVP to Cari Buck at muncycreektwp@comcast.net.

PA One Call Training

Pennsylvania One Call has scheduled in-person Excavator and Locator Program training events. An Excavator Program will be held on Mar. 12 in Berwick, PA. To register or learn about other training events, click HERE.

Midblock Crosswalk Update

PennDOT has adopted a new policy in its Traffic Engineering Manual to guide the location and design of midblock crosswalks and trail crossings. The new policy provides a consistent approach to installing traffic control devices at crossings of state and local roads in Pennsylvania to ensure the safety and comfort of all road users. A critical component of the new policy is the requirement that an Engineering and Traffic Study be conducted for all proposed midblock crosswalks and trail crossings. If you need assistance with a trail crossing or midblock crosswalk study or safety assessment, contact LTAP.

PennDOT 2024 Municipal Road Maintenance and Safety Symposium

April 14-16, Hershey

Every municipal budget across the commonwealth shares the same big line item: road maintenance and safety. It’s the road crew’s job to keep roads smooth, free from potholes, without snow during winter storms, and draining properly when the spring rain falls.

Municipalities and their crews are also responsible for new construction, signage, work zone safety, asset management, and even personnel management.

How can you be sure you are doing the best possible job with limited resources? By attending PennDOT’s 2024 Municipal Road Maintenance and Safety Symposium, where you will hear from road maintenance experts, transportation safety professionals, and municipal officials who have a deep understanding of standard road maintenance and safety practices, as well as an eye on new products, services, and technologies.

During the three-day symposium, you will have access to road-related workshops, and the “Roadmasters Roundtable” Q&A, plus unlimited entry into the largest municipal exhibit show in Pennsylvania. All in one place!

PA Safety Days

PA Safety Day Conferences offer an opportunity for a full-day of education and networking. Presentations and demonstrations on safe digging procedures will be offered concurrent to the sessions. Pennsylvania 811 and its sponsors will provide a complimentary lunch for attendees. Intended Audience: excavators, designers, project owners, facility owners, locators, public officials, emergency responders, and other excavation professionals. Registration for the Safety Days and other PA One Call training can be done by clicking the below button.

READ MORE AND REGISTER HERE

New LTAP Classes for 2024

Drones: Municipal Transportation Uses

Half day course, Roads Scholar I, Roads Scholar Administrative, Roads Scholar Police - Available Summer 2024

This course will introduce students to the basics of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones with a focus on municipal transportation program uses.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Basics

Half day course, Roads Scholar I, Roads Scholar Administrative - Available Summer 2024

This course will introduce students to GIS and how the technology may be able to assist in increasing efficiency and reducing costs for asset management and transportation planning.

School Transportation Management

Half day course, Roads Scholar II, Roads Scholar Administrative, Roads Scholar Police - Available Summer 2024

This course covers methods and alternatives for improving safety and traffic flow at and around schools.

Trucks on Local Roads: Issues and Solutions

Half day course, Roads Scholar II, Roads Scholar Administrative, Roads Scholar Police - Available Summer 2024

This course covers common truck issues for local communities/local roads, and potential methods and solutions for resolving the issues.

Types of LTAP Services (entirely free)

Pennsylvania's Local Technical Assistance Program is dedicated to transferring transportation technology through training, technical assistance, and other customer services to municipal elected officials and their staff. Simply call 1-800-FOR-LTAP and they will have a specialist contact you. You can also visit gis.penndot.gov/ltap to create an account and request assistance or resources.

Training: Classroom and virtual training are offered. If there is a course you want to hold in your municipality, LTAP can bring the course directly to you as a road show.

Technical Assistance: On site, phone and email technical support is available from an LTAP expert. The LTAP experts can provide guidance to handle issues such as drainage, posting of traffic signs, intersection improvements, collecting traffic data, dust control, and much more.

Library Resources: Various library materials, videos, and publications can be requested through LTAP.

Contact Information

For more information, questions or help registering for classes, please contact Don Kiel, SEDA-COG Senior Principal Program Analyst, at 570-524-4491 or email dkiel@seda-cog.org. Information is also available at gis.penndot.gov/ltap.

Feel free to share your training needs or requests for classes at any time. If your municipality is not receiving occasional LTAP class updates and announcements via email, please send Don Kiel your email address.

Please post for all municipal officials and road crews.

SEDA-Council of Governments | www.seda-cog.org