SwiftGate for Pennsylvania Turnpike

The Tuscarora Mountain Tunnel consists of individual two-lane highway tunnels through the Tuscarora Mountain between Huntingdon and Franklin Counties in rural Pennsylvania. Each tunnel is around 1.6km long with portal buildings at each end. As part of a rehabilitation project, Versilis, based in Quebec, Canada, was selected by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission to supply a permanent automated lane closure system at each tunnel approach.
October 19, 2020 Read time: 2 mins
Two series of SwiftGate HSG-18CW automated gate systems facilitate the lane shifts during lane closure in the Tuscarora Mountain Tunnel

Tunnel closure using standard maintenance of traffic procedures can take up to 45 minutes or 90 minutes to open and close. This reduces the night-time work window. The solution was to install two series of SwiftGate HSG-18CW automated gate systems - 38 gates in all – to facilitate the lane shifts required as part of tunnel closures.

A taper of automated gates is deployed in less than five minutes. The gate system can be operated locally using the Versilis RF Handheld Remote Control or remotely using the Versilis web page. Full integration of the gates within the tunnel SCADA traffic management centre system is underway as part of another project. The Versilis SwiftGate HSG-18CW is crash-tested to NCHRP-350 requirements. Each gate has a very narrow mechanism footprint, allowing installation on a narrow median barrier wall.

Gate arms offer increased visibility in order to send a clear message to motorists that an access is closed. The Versilis communication hardware allows different operation and monitoring options as well as easy integration into a traffic management centre system using NTCIP protocol.

Highway & Network Management

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Innovative traffic information technology used in Vancouver
    February 23, 2012
    As the world descended on Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Olympics, visitors were able to travel around the city with confidence and intelligence thanks to a landmark project by IRF Member, Delcan
    Read More
  • Concrete plants: flexibility and efficiency
    March 17, 2016
    Concrete mixing plants are becoming more flexible and innovative to ensure they meet increasingly stringent construction schedules. Increasing demands are put on contractors to cut down the transportation of material to construction sites in the name of efficiency and the environment. For that reason concrete mixing plants are increasingly flexible in their transportation to sites, their set up times and their output. Ammann Elba, the company created when German-based Elba was acquired by Ammann in 20
    Read More
  • New Midtown Tunnel open in Virginia
    January 30, 2017
    A project to construct the second Midtown Tunnel link in the US state of Virginia alongside the original connection has taken an important step forward – Mike Woof writes Commuters in the US state of Virginia will be pleased that the new Midtown Tunnel is now open to traffic, as it will help to boost capacity and cut congestion on the busy US 58 route connecting Norfolk and Portsmouth. The 1.13km tunnel link has been built to link with the interchange at Brambleton Avenue and Hampton Boulevard in Norfolk
    Read More
  • New Volvo CE asphalt screeds available
    April 24, 2023
    Volvo CE is now offering new electric screed models aimed at use in large-scale paving operations. The electrically-heated, fixed screeds are designed to make large-scale paving more cost-effective and to boost productivity and efficiency for major road projects.
    Read More

Highlighted Content