For Review: Publication 46 changes

Comments will be accepted through July 12, 2025. Please see instructions below.

This proposed policy includes revisions to PennDOT Publication 46 Traffic Engineering Manual. The last full updated to this 2012 publication was Change #1 in 2014. This publication revision incorporates several official policy changes, such as Strike-Off-Letters and memorandums, made effective since Change #1. The scope of proposed policy revisions, per chapter, are shown on the attached Compedium of Changes. The revisions are, in part, prompted for PA to achieve substantial conformance with the national MUTCD, 11th edition, available with additional information at www.mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov. Additional clearance transmittals are forthcoming for PennDOT Publication 46 Traffic Engineering Manual, Chapters 2 and 3, Publication 111 Pavement Makring & Signing Standards and Publication 236 Handbook of Approved signs regarding MUTCD conformance.

Following are documents related to this update for review:

• Publication 46 Change #2 draft (clean)
• Publication 46 Change #2 draft (redline)
• Publication 46 Compendium of Changes
• Clearance Transmittal Form

Please note that only comments provided using MS Excel file titled "CT T-25-008 Publication 46 Traffic Engineering Manual Comment Form" will be accepted. Please download the spreadsheet, populate it with your comments, save it with a new filename, and return to RA-PDBOMO-CT@PA.GOV.

TSAMS Update 4-24-25

PennDOT's Traffic Signal Asset Management System (TSAMS) has been updated on April 24, 2025, with the following features:

New features/enhancements

• A Reference ID field is added to Signal and Non-Signal modules for Electronic Sign components.
• An Image Preview feature is now available in the document section enabling users to preview all images without fully opening each image.
• Component inventory report is added for non-signals in the Signal Owner module.
• Discontinued Date and End of Support Date fields are added to the Product module.
• Dates can be entered manually in addition to using the calendar picker throughout the TSAMS application.
• Different signal statuses can be selected without first selecting the "Operational" status.

Roundabout Module Updates

• A restriction is implemented from entering future status dates.
• The comment history is updated to properly show the username of the individual who entered the comment.

Bug Fixes

• EPS and ECMS tables in the document section are now correctly displaying all documents regardless of how many the user chose to display on each page, and the table can be sorted by any column.
• Resolved the issue of displaying the street details in other unrelated Roundabout modules.

As always, please share your feedback with us at signals@pa.gov. Most of the feature enhancements are directly from user feedback, and therefore we are especially interested in feedback.

For Review: Publication 148 Changes

Comments will be accepted through May 26, 2025. Please see instructions below.

Publication 148 is being revised to add a new sheet to the standard drawings which will provide a detail for wood post mounting of a flashing warning device. 

Following are documents related to this update for review:

• Publication 148 new sheet to be added
• Clearance Transmittal form

Please note that only comments provided using MS Excel file titled "CT T-25-001 Pub 149 Rewrite Comment Form" will be accepted. Please download the spreadsheet, populate it with your comments, save it with a new filename, and return to RA-PDBOMO-CT@pa.gov. 

2025 ARLE Funding Program Application Period

PennDOT will be accepting applications for the 2025 Automated Red Light Enforcement (ARLE) Funding Program from June 1st through June 30th, 2025. The 2025 program will continue to prioritize safety enhancements considering both PennDOT's Safety Network Screening methods for the project location and Crash Modification Factors associated with proposed improvements.

A pre-application scoping form is required prior to submitting an application. Scoping forms should be submitted via email to ARLE@pa.gov. Feedback on scoping forms submitted by April 28, 2025 will be provided by May 30, 2025. The completed and reviewed scoping form must be uploaded as an attachment to the formal application submission.

The scoping form is a fillable web page. If you wish to save a partially-completed form to finish later, click the “Save” button at the top of the screen and save the file to your computer. When you want to work on the form again, navigate to the scoping form webpage, click “Open” at the top of the page, and select the file you saved to your computer.

When you are ready to submit the scoping form, click the “Save” button and then attach the file to an email to ARLE@pa.gov. Please also attach a detailed cost estimate and project location map.

Applications must be submitted electronically through the Single Application for Assistance at https://grants.pa.gov/Login.aspx.

ARLE Funding Program information: https://docs.penndot.pa.gov/Public/Bureaus/BOO/TSPortal/FUNDARLE.html

Contact us via email at ARLE@pa.gov with questions.

2024 ARLE Funding Awards

Awarded projects for the 2024 ARLE application round have been announced here: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/penndot/news-and-media/newsroom/statewide/shapiro-administration-invests-over--20-million-in-traffic-safet.html 

Strike-Off Letter 494-25-01: Publication 46, Chapter 12 - Traffic Analysis Software

Strike-Off Letter 494-25-01 was issued on February 25, 2025, updating Chapter 12 of Publication 46 pertaining to traffic analysis software. The only update was replacing Synchro version 11 with Synchro version 12.

Publication 148 Change #2 issued

On January 27, 2025, PennDOT published Change #2 to the December 2011 edition of Publication 148, Traffic Standards-Signals, TC-8800 Series.

The updated Publication 148 is available on PennDOT's website at the following link: https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/penndot/documents/public/pubsforms/publications/pub%20148.pdf

Key changes include addressing comments from the CT process for Change #1, clarifying dimension labels for mast arms and strain poles, and adding standardized detection layouts and preemption details. Traffic signal construction and permit plans should reference the standard by sheet number and date rather than duplicating the standard on each plan. Modifications to the standard should continue to be shown on the traffic signal construction and permit plan. A detailed list of changes is included in the Transmittal Letter at the beginning of the document.

These revised Standard Drawings should be adopted on all new and existing designs as soon as possible without affecting any letting schedules and in conjunction with current Publication 408 Specifications. Regardless, revised standards under this release must be used on all projects let after April 11, 2025.