2024 ARLE Funding Program Application Period

PennDOT will be accepting applications for the 2024 Automated Red Light Enforcement (ARLE) Funding Program from June 1st through June 30th, 2024. The 2024 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 30, 2024 will be provided by May 31, 2024. 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 DCED Single Application for Assistance at https://www.esa.dced.state.pa.us/Login.aspx

ARLE Funding Program information: https://www.dot.state.pa.us/public/Bureaus/BOMO/Portal/TSPortal/FUNDARLE.html

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

ePermitting (EPS.47) Update for Signals 3-19-24

PennDOT’s ePermitting System (EPS) was updated on March 19^th, 2024 which included enhancements/bug fixes to the Traffic Signal Permitting (TSP) side of EPS. The changes are listed below:

• Data fields were added to capture information for PennDOT’s TE-160 form. These changes include indicating whether the applicant already has a Traffic Signal Maintenance Agreement in place, traffic signal system information, and Municipal Certification. By entering this information with the application, a separate TE-160 form does not need to be attached to each application.
• Links have been added to the work summary and locations tab to create a Signal/Non-Signal record in TSAMS, if one does not exist already.
• Users reported an error where EPS would not allow applicant email addresses to contain specific symbols.  This issue has been resolved and applicant email addresses can now contain symbols.

If you have used EPS recently, your browser may have stored application files in cache from the prior version. If you encounter issues, right click anywhere on the screen and select “inspect”.  Once the inspect screen appears, hold down CTRL and F5 on your keyboard.  This should refresh your cache and fix this issue, should you run into it.

Please continue to send any system enhancement ideas to Anthony Chiodo at anchiodo@pa.gov for future releases.  Some items that we are looking at for future releases are listed below:

• Allow users to upload multiple documents at once. 
• Ability to approve system permits in EPS.
• Streamline and improve user roles to match the TSP process.
• Increase TSAMS integration to cut down on how much users need to go back and forth between the two systems.

We want to thank everyone for their continued feedback which helps us improve TSP for all of our users.  Again, if you have any questions or ideas for future releases please contact Anthony Chiodo at (717) 934-4192 or anchiodo@pa.gov.

TSAMS Update 2-27-24

PennDOT’s Traffic Signal Asset Management System (TSAMS) has been updated on February 27, 2024 with the following features and a new Pedestrian/Bicycle module:

New features/enhancements

• Dynamic Message Signs (DMS) are now referred to as Changeable Message Signs (CMS) in TSAMS to match with the FHWA’s terminology.
• Left navigation is implemented for ITS/Operations module which allows users to easily navigate different tabs.
• Some unnecessary fields were removed and other fields were renamed within the ITS/Operations module for simplicity.
• TSAMS now remembers user’s last action of a location map setting (map minimized or expended). Future page loads throughout the application will retain this user preference.  
• In ITS/Operations module, a new component can be created without losing changes made on the previous screen. The user can then come back to the first screen and save the work.

New Module – Pedestrian/Bicycle

• Pedestrian and bicycle facility records can now be created and maintained in TSAMS. These components can be grouped by intersection, midblock location, or can be linear facilities (such as bike lanes). 
• This module allows TSAMS to serve as a centralized repository for ADA, bicycle, and pedestrian curb ramp designs, encompassing documents, forms, etc.
• The Location and Facility tabs are functional as part of this initial implementation. Functionality will be added to the Map tab in an upcoming update to TSAMS.
• The stored data can be utilized as a tool for planning and budgeting for Ped/Bike related projects.

As always, please share your feedback with us at signals@pa.gov. We are especially interested in feedback on the new Pedestrian/Bicycle, and we are planning to add more tabs and features this year. Most of the feature enhancements are directly from user feedback. 

2023 ARLE Funding Awards

Awarded projects for the 2023 ARLE application round have been announced here: https://www.dot.state.pa.us/public/Bureaus/BOMO/Portal/TSPortal/PressReleaseARLE2023.html

Green Light-Go Year 9 Application Period

PennDOT is announcing the next round of the Green Light-Go Program (Year 9). Prior to application submission, applicants must complete and submit a Pre-Application Scoping Form in accordance with the Green Light-Go Program Guidelines. Pre-Application scoping forms will be accepted via email (GLG@pa.gov) until December 15, 2023. PennDOT will review and provide comments on the Pre-Application Scoping Forms by January 31, 2024.

Full applications must be submitted electronically through the DCED Single Application for Assistance between February 1, 2024 and February 29, 2024. Instructions for completing the application are in the Green Light-Go Program Guidelines.

It is anticipated awards from this application round will be announced in summer 2024 and the projects must be completed by spring 2027.

The following changes from last year will remain in effect this year:

• The pre-application scoping process will be coordinated through the Green Light-Go program office in the Bureau of Operations to ensure consistent reviews statewide.
• Applicants are asked to verify a Commonwealth and Municipal Traffic Signal Maintenance Agreement is in place prior to submitting an application. Since this requires a resolution of the governing body, applicants should plan ahead to schedule passage of the resolution prior to the application deadline if the applicant has not already executed the agreement.
• The cost estimating guidelines have been updated, and a template cost estimate spreadsheet is available. The template spreadsheet contains tabs for relevant sections of PennDOT specifications and includes standard item numbers applicable to traffic signals.

Please visit the Green Light-Go page of the Traffic Signal Portal for more information.

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

Green Light-Go: Year 8 Awards

Governor Shapiro announced the 90 projects which have been awarded Green Light-Go funding from the eighth round of applications. The full press release and list of projects is available at: https://www.governor.pa.gov/newsroom/governor-shapiro-announces-nearly-36-million-in-green-light-go-grant-funds-to-communities-across-the-commonwealth-to-improve-traffic-safety/

TSAMS Update 7-20-23

PennDOT's Traffic Signal Asset Management System (TSAMS) has been updated on July 20, 2023 with the following features:

• New features/enhamcenents:
• The signal device screen has been rearranged to provide navigation tabs for different sections on the left side of the screen, instead of the expanding accordian view. Informaiton was rearranged to consolidate the number of tabs.
• New "None" option for master controller location with signal systems to accommodate systems with GPS or time-based coordination and systems connected to PennDOT's Unified Command and Control platform.
• Change the "PennDOT owned" yes/no field to "Ownership" with options for PennDOT, County, Municipality, and Other. 
• New ITS device type added for "Dynamic Curve Warning" (DCW).
• Signal system search screen details for included signals now display more relevant columns, including permit number and street location.
• Email notifications can be sent directly to the assigned maintenance contractor when a work authorization is set up for ITS device down time.
• PennDOT approval of guest user component edits can now occur for all components with a signal device at the same time, rather than needed to open each component individually.
• Bug fixes:
• The signal owner module no longer requires entering a contractor name and phone number if the signal owner performs maintenance with municipal personnel.
• Multiple projects can use the same engineering agreement, since designs may occur using different work orders or parts of the same agreement.
• Project search results corrected to show all results instead of a subset of results where the number of associated devices was limited to 500.
• Corrected missing display of manufacturer name on the signal device screen for housing and indication components.
• Corrected errors which occurred when trying to delete projects with multiple funding sources or signals/non-signals with comments.

As always, please share your feedback with us at signals@pa.gov. We are especially interested in feedback on the new left-hand navigation design on the signal screen as we seek to implement this change on other screens through TSAMS. Most of the feature enhancements are directly from user feedback.