TPD completed a traffic and alternatives analysis study along the Route 222 northbound and southbound mainline and interchange ramps. The limits are between the Route 12/222/422 and the State Hill Road (SR 3023)/Paper Mill Road (SR 3021) interchanges, with northbound Route 222 added to design in 2023. The project was divided into two contract sections by adding areas rigid pavement and bridge repairs to the south. The repairs portion construction, completed in 2024, was defined from the southern limits of the auxiliary lane section to the south, including the State Hill Road and Penn Avenue (SR 3422) interchanges and associated ramps.

As the prime consultant, TPD is responsible for most of the design effort with environmental, geotechnical and survey support provided by our subconsultants. The complex staged temporary work zone traffic control plan was developed to limit impacts to the traveling public, including provisions for the three bridge superstructure rehabilitations within the project limits. The repairs portion of the project consists of roadway rehabilitation and associated roadside safety improvements (guide rail repairs/updates and other required safety enhancements). Considering the limited scope of the repair portion, TPD collected additional survey using GPS. Based on this workflow, the efforts to locate engineering design items and review field conditions were streamlined and simultaneous.

The auxiliary lane alternatives analysis was used to develop and compare various alternative ramp and auxiliary lane configurations to improve traffic congestion and safety. Roadway capacities are substandard with high truck percentages, and poor merging conditions exist at the Route 222/422 ramp intersections with Route 12/222, creating significant traffic bottlenecks during peak hours. The recommended improvements, which are being advanced in preliminary engineering, increase both the ramp and mainline capacities by adding a continuous auxiliary lane. Auxiliary lanes are proposed in both the northbound and southbound directions between interchange ramps along mainline Route 222. The auxiliary lanes improve lane utilization and flexibility to maneuver between entrances and exits, alleviating the peak hour delays.