Tanker fire exposes transportation concerns

(Harrisburg) — The tanker fire that snarled traffic across the midstate over the past few days is being seen by experts as a red flag for transportation concerns.

The accident on the Interstate 81 northbound ramp to Routes 22/322 in Dauphin County closed the highway for four days and crowded alternate routes.

Tim Reardon is the Executive Director of the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission, which oversees Dauphin, Cumberland and Perry counties.

He says a pattern of six decades of suburban development is pushing some roads to capacity.

“If we build residential developments on small, country roads, we’re going to have, on average, 10 automobile trips per day from each household onto a road that may not be built for that type of traffic, then we need to spend money through our transportation program to upgrade that road,” Reardon says.

Reardon says the region should be thinking more about using mass transit and other non-automobile methods, like bicycling and walking.

Hear the full conversation on transportation issues in the midstate on Radio Smart Talk.