SAINT CLAIR - Drivers traveling on Route 61 at the entrance to Wal-Mart have been trying to avoid hitting the grooves worn into the road by trucks and other commercial vehicles.
"That's not uncommon. It could be from vehicles stopping at the red light. There are so many vehicles doing the exact same thing and it does have an effect on the road," Sean Brown, spokesman for the state Department of Transportation's District 5, Allentown, said Tuesday.
The grooves in the road are deepest in the right northbound lane of Route 61 at Terry Rich Boulevard.
The term "tramlining" is used to describe a vehicle's tendency to follow such ruts or grooves in a road, much like a street tram following its rails, disrupting directional control.
"Trucks, due to their weight and size, have much more wear on the road compared to regular vehicles," Brown said. "It happens, not just from trucks, but it could be from regular vehicles frequently traveling the same road. These are manmade structures and need a lot of work. We have an aging infrastructure here in Pa., so you will see more bridges and roads that require work and we have to keep up with maintenance, regardless of who uses it."
Brown said there are no problems with the design of the road and there are many solutions, such as milling or repaving, depending on the damage. He said that particular section of Route 61 is "something we are going to address later in the year."
"If we felt that there was a danger of some sort, we would want to handle that right away," Brown said. "We don't want any dangerous situations on our roadways."
He recommended that drivers use appropriate speeds when encountering any problems on the roadway as well as following instructional signs. He also said any drivers noticing a problem with road maintenance can contact PennDOT.
Bud Matto, owner of Matto Cycle, a motorcycle and all-terrain vehicle dealer in Saint Clair, said Schuylkill County roads are dangerous even for experienced riders.
"Between the pothole mess they got going on, there's a lot of uneven roads," Matto said Wednesday. "Sometimes, uneven roads can throw the tires off to the left or right without warning. Tar and chipping is also horrible for motorcycles. Some of the more unexperienced riders can hit that and they really go down hard. It can also really mess up the vehicle."
Matto said grooves in the road like that at the Wal-Mart intersection don't cause much interference with a motorcycle.
While there are no places in particular in Schuylkill County that Matto tries to avoid on his motorcycle, he said the roads are noticeably better in neighboring counties.
"As soon as you go outside the county, it's amazing how smooth the road gets," Matto said. "Literally, as soon as you cross that line, the roads are so much smoother. It seems like Schuylkill County is the last to get road repairs done."
Matto said it is important for motorcycle riders to be aware of their surroundings at all times.
"Always ride looking down the road as far as possible," Matto said. "Look for unevenness in roads or tar and chipping coming up. If you see something that makes you uncomfortable, slow down to your comfort level and don't panic."
Brown said PennDOT's road maintenance is funded through licensing fees, fines and gas taxes. While there are no fees that directly take into account the additional damage to roads from trucks, the tax rate for diesel fuel is about 7 cents more than regular gasoline.
According to the state Department of Revenue, the state gas tax is 31.2 cents per gallon. The tax is the sum of the fixed fuels tax of 12 cents per gallon and the oil company franchise tax of 19.2 cents per gallon.
The state diesel tax is 38.1 cents per gallon, which includes the fixed fuels tax of 12 cents per gallon and the oil company franchise tax of at 26.1 cents per gallon.
Brown noted that heavy trucks also pay for additional licensing, registration and permitting.