A significant stretch of the Schuylkill Expressway (I-76) — whose frequent crashes earned it the unfortunate nickname the “sure-kill Expressway” — has made appreciable progress in safety measures through the use of variable speed limits (VSL). Mike DeNardo drove home the details of the story for KYW Newsradio.
PennDOT reported this data analysis on the Schuylkill from June to Dec. of 2021. Ever since VSL signs were activated along the 14-mile stretch of the expressway in Montgomery County, PennDOT reported a decrease in monthly crashes during the six-month period.
Commute times were also reduced, albeit in small increments. Average eastbound travel times in the morning were reduced by 90 seconds, and westbound, 30 seconds.
The averages may seem minimal, but their impact can be great when applied to heavy streams of stalled traffic.
“So far, we’ve been seeing reductions in travel time, which is a good thing. It shows that the system has been paying off,” said Dave Adams, the acting senior manager for traffic operations at PennDOT.
However, some individual commuters disagree.
“I understand if there’s an obstruction and [a slower VSL speed is] necessary,” said Drew Christiano, a driver from Devon. “But a lot of the times, it has been inexplicable.”
Read more about virtual speed limits on the Schuylkill Expressway on KYW Newsradio.