Signs at N. Front and Chestnut streets
Harrisburg may have found a way to curb its stuck truck problem.
City officials explained that, since they installed new signage along N. Front Street last summer, the number of trucks ending up wedged under the railroad bridge has significantly decreased.
In August 2022, city Communications Director Matt Maisel reported that trucks getting stuck under the bridge had become a near daily occurrence. To address the issue, the city and PennDOT hung two new signs at N. Front and Chestnut streets warning vehicles over 12-feet, 6-inches tall that traveling any further is prohibited.
According to Harrisburg Project Manager Percy Bullock, the signs seem to have been successful in reducing the problem.
“I’ve gotten a whole lot less calls,” he said.
Over the fall and winter, calls to the police about stuck trucks decreased. For the month after the signs were posted, from the end of July 26 to Aug. 25, 23 calls about trucks were received. The following month, that number dropped to 19, and the next month it dropped to 10. The next two months, the number would rise slightly, jumping to 17 in December. But January only counted six and both February and March, only five each.
The signs themselves may have contributed to that decline, but the added ability to fine drivers who ignore them may have played a role as well, explained Chris Flad, PennDOT District 8 traffic engineer.
In the transportation world, different signs mean different things, and, according to Flad, the new signs give the city greater legal standing to fine drivers. And for the past several months, Harrisburg police have regularly handed out those fines to drivers who decide to take their chances with the bridge and aren’t so lucky. Under state law, drivers can be fined up to $500.
Ultimately, it’s going to take time to see if the signs have made a lasting difference or if the dip in sticky situations is just an anomaly, Flad said.
“You’ve got to give it time to see if it’s truly working or not, he said.
Both Bullock and Flad agreed that the issue has created a huge headache for the city and drivers over the years. Each call can require a handful of police officers, along with traffic personnel, to respond, taking them away from other responsibilities, Bullock said. The situations often force the city to shut down at least two lanes of traffic, which inconveniences motorists who either face delays or need to reroute their commute.
If the signs don’t do enough to decrease the issue long term, PennDOT has “a couple of other tricks up our sleeves,” Flad said.
PennDOT is currently considering placing a sign at the end of the Market Street Bridge, warning drivers not to turn right, towards the Front Street bridge, Flad said. That would be installed in the coming months.
If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!
