FAQ's Click on the questions below to read the answers on FAQ's >  What is the status of the landscaping plan for the Route 202 Parkway? As of the end of 2011, landscaping and ground covering operations were completed in some areas but only partially finished or not started in others before weather conditions and/or other seasonal planting restrictions forced the postponement of further activity until spring 2012. We expect that all of the ground cover, trees and shrubs specified for the Parkway’s berms, medians and roadside areas will be in place before the road opens in fall 2012 >  Construction of the Parkway appears to be finished in my area except for all the landscaping, yet there has not been any activity on the site for some time. Why wasn’t the landscaping finished before the crews moved on? The planting of trees and shrubs is being done by specialty contractors, and this work is proceeding at a different pace and one that often is separate from the progress of general construction activities underway or finished along the Parkway. Landscaping operations along the Parkway will resume in spring 2012 with the arrival of warmer temperatures. >  Why are there no sound walls along the US 202 Parkway? PennDOT was aware of community concerns about noise during the design and development of the final construction plans for the Route 202 Parkway. During the project’s design phase, several context sensitive solutions were investigated and implemented to reduce visual impacts and lessen sound levels along the new roadway. These context-sensitive solutions included moving the path of the road away from homes; depressing the road; maintaining existing trees and vegetation; and building landscaped earth berms between the road and residences where feasible without impacting wetlands and other natural resources. These context-sensitive features provide adjacent residential communities along the Parkway with acoustic and visually aesthetic benefits. With the implementation of these design features, predicted future noise levels along the Parkway did not meet PennDOT’s Noise Abatement Criteria; therefore, consideration of noise mitigation was not required. The use of earth berms as an acoustical reduction measure provides greater sound level reduction benefits than a typical concrete sound wall of the same height. Earth berms are thicker and permit less sound transmission than a typical sound barrier. In addition, earth berms are more absorptive due to their grassy surfaces. PennDOT will landscape earth berms along the Parkway with bushes and trees to further enhance their height. >  Sections of the US 202 Parkway between Knapp Road and Route 463 (Horsham Road) appear to be completed, but only a short stretch appears to be open to traffic. Why aren't additional sections of the finished Parkway in this area open? Although a small portion of the US 202 Parkway has been opened south of Route 463 (Horsham Road) to provide access to the adjacent commercial and residential areas, the remainder of the finished Parkway in Section 701 must remain closed until all other sections of the new road (Sections 65N, 711, 721) are completed in mid-2012. This decision was made because the southern entry/exit of the Parkway (Section 65N) at Route 202 (DeKalb Pike) and Route 63 (Welsh Road), as well as all of the improvements at Route 463 (Horsham Road) must be completed because neither Knapp Road nor Route 463 (Horsham Road) are designed to handle the traffic volumes that would result from opening the completed portion of the roadway. >  May I use the Shared Use Path? The Shared Use Path will remain closed until the Parkway is completed and opened to traffic in mid-2012. The Shared Used Path is considered an active construction zone and should not be used. >  When is the project scheduled to be completed? The Parkway and the shared-use path are scheduled to open in fall 2012. A construction schedule, which is updated periodically, may be found at http://www.us202-700.com/Constructionschedule.aspx. >  Why has the Parkway’s opening estimate been changed? Complications in the construction process on a project of this magnitude often require schedule adjustments. In addition, numerous utility relocations across the project area, and especially along Route 202 (DeKalb Pike) and Route 63 (Welsh Road) at the southern end of the Parkway, have slowed the progress of construction, causing the original schedule to be revised. >  What can be done about storm water runoff that is generated from the work area during construction? During the early stages of construction, heavy rain can overwhelm the temporary runoff controls that are set up in the work area, overtaxing existing roadway drainage systems. As construction progresses, more of the project’s drainage system -- retention ponds, piping, inlets, etc. – are put in place and help control this runoff. >  Where can I see a map of the project? Two maps that show the entire project can be viewed on the project website. >  What type of landscaping will be planted as part of the project? What landscaping will be planted near my house? Landscaping plans for each of the sections have been posted to the project website at: http://www.us202-700.com/landscaping.aspx >  Are there artist’s renderings of the project? Where can I view them? Renderings have been produced for major intersections and features of the Parkway. The renderings are located on the project zoomable map: http://www.us202-700.com/zoommap.aspx in green boxes labeled “Rendering”. Clicking on the box will open each rendering. >  What are the “Companion” projects? Companion projects will improve several major roads that intersect the Parkway – DeKalb Pike, Welsh Road, Horsham Road, and County Line Road – in order to improve traffic flow and access to the Parkway. These roadway improvements will be built separate from the specific Parkway construction sections (701, 711, 721). >  Where can I find more information about them? Go here for information on DeKalb Pike and Welsh Road (65N) http://www.us202-700.com/Construction65N.aspx; Horsham Road (MW1) http://www.us202-700.com/ConstructionHorsham.aspx; County Line Road (WD1) http://www.us202-700.com/ConstructionCountyLine.aspx >  Who can we contact if we have questions or concerns about specific construction activities that are underway? Please submit a comment through the project website http://www.us202-700.com/Contact.aspx and we’ll forward it to the appropriate member of the construction team. >  What will be the speed limit of the Parkway? The Parkway will have a posted speed limit of 40 miles per hour. >  Will trucks be allowed on the Parkway? Yes, trucks will be allowed on the Parkway. >  Where will access points to the trail be located? Access points to the Parkway’s shared-use trail will be available at all intersections where overpasses and underpasses are not present. PennDOT is building special Trail Head Parking Areas at Parkway access points at Knapp Road, Route 309 (Bethlehem Pike), Stump Road near County Line Road, Bristol Road and New Britain Road. >  Construction seems to have stopped on improvements in the area of the DeKalb Pike (Route 202) and Welsh Road (Route 63) intersection. How come? Construction to widen and improve DeKalb Pike (Route 202) and Welsh Road (Route 63) at the southern terminus of the Route 202 Parkway – including work at the intersection of the two roads -- will resume when the utility poles are moved onto the new right of way. Until most of those poles are relocated, PennDOT’s contractor is unable to complete most of the road and drainage construction. >  When will the utility poles be moved? Utility crews are scheduled to begin moving the poles in May (2011) and it is anticipated that this work will be completed by September (2011) >  Can the Parkway contractor work on other aspects of the project while the utility crews finish their work? The contractor has been proactive in advancing the project in this area despite the presence of the old utility poles, and crews will continue to do whatever can be done this spring and summer (2011) in areas where the old poles are not in the way. Work is expected to start in the next few weeks on sound walls and ADA curb ramps, and along areas of Route 202 north of Welsh Road. >  Why has there been a delay in moving the utilities? While we cannot speak directly for the utility companies who are responsible for relocating their facilities, it appears that many of the resources of the utility companies – who were scheduled to be on the job last fall (2010) -- were diverted to other projects and areas where emergency repairs were necessary to correct damage that occurred from the severe weather experienced in the region. >  Will the delays in relocating these utilities impact the planned opening of the Parkway in mid-2012? PennDOT is working closely with the Parkway contractors and the utilities in an effort to finish work along the nine-mile long corridor and at the southern end of the Parkway in mid-2012. While it is possible that some of work along DeKalb Pike and Welsh Road may not be finished by mid-2012, contingency plans are being developed to allow the Parkway itself to open on-schedule.       Project News       FAQ       Community Newsletters       Related Sites       Subscribe for E -Mail       Submit a Question or Comment          Twitter