Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

The Project Right-of-Way (ROW) Team will follow up directly with property owners with responses to site-specific questions regarding project impacts during and after construction. During final design, the team will work to minimize impacts to properties. The limits of disturbance, tree trimming/removal and other frontage impacts will be coordinated with the property owner as part of the right-of-way process. Please note that the condition of trees, location of the root systems and other factors play a role in the viability of retaining them upon completion of the improvements. Montgomery County and the project team also recognize the benefits and risks associated with trees within/adjacent to the highway ROW. The county has also been working in coordination with the Whitemarsh Township Heritage Tree Commission.

The posted speed limit along the corridor is currently 35 miles per hour (MPH) and will remain at 35 MPH in the future. The roadway has been designed to safely accommodate travel at this speed, aligning the design speed with the posted limit.

The county does not have speed enforcement authority. All speed enforcement is the responsibility of the local municipality. Widespread usage of speed cameras is currently not legal in Pennsylvania (other than pilot projects) and would require state legislation for implementation. Radar speed signs may be considered where appropriate, though they are informational only.

The proposed restrictions on left-hand turns from Ridge Pike onto Pine Ridge Drive (westbound from Philadelphia) will be implemented for safety. Montgomery County currently plans to advance the proposed design presented at the public open house plans display (3/24/25) at the intersections of Ridge Pike and Pine Ridge Drive and at Crescent Avenue.

Due to concerns received about Pine Ridge Drive, the project team coordinated with PennDOT and Whitemarsh Township; Montgomery County is proposing a lane shift to the south further west to improve the overall roadway alignment, provide left turn lanes at Holly Lane and South Gilinger, minimize impacts to properties on the north side and improve alternate access resulting from the turn restrictions at Pine Ridge Drive. 

Montgomery County anticipates maintaining the currently proposed intersection signal design at Ridge Pike and Crescent Avenue. The County and design team will work with PennDOT to design and construct a signalized intersection to meet current stopping sight distance standards as well as improve traffic operations and safety.

Montgomery County and PennDOT have discussed the stopping sight distance for westbound traffic and is considering advance warning signs based on the roadway profile analysis at this location. The current design also restricts left turns at Pine Ridge Drive to eliminate vehicles from stopping in the westbound left lane along Ridge Pike. The addition of a traffic signal will allow for pedestrian crossings of Ridge Pike and Crescent Avenue for improved pedestrian safety.

The Project Team will continue to assess opportunities to improve safety and traffic operations to/from properties along the corridor. Montgomery County is working with PennDOT to advance the preliminary Traffic Control Plan developed to date for this project. As stated at the public meeting on March 24, 2025, the proposed plan is subject to change as the process progresses through final design. The design team will work to reduce impacts on communities adjacent to the project work zone(s) as we advance final design. The County and design team are committed to minimizing/mitigating traffic impacts during construction where possible.

Montgomery County will undertake a four-prong approach to minimizing traffic impacts during construction:

1. Communication – Montgomery County has an established communication program to “get the word out” regarding Ridge Pike construction. (Please sign up for Project Status emails here)
2. Coordination – Montgomery County will coordinate with PennDOT, Plymouth Township, and Whitemarsh Township to make sure construction updates are regionally broadcast through their social media efforts.
3. Enforcement – Montgomery County does not have direct enforcement authority over traffic safety; please contact your local police entity with specific locations of concern. The county will have regular Progress Meetings which representatives from Plymouth and Whitemarsh Townships will be invited. The project team will provide the police schedule updates and plans for new Traffic Control Stage implementation.
4. Construction Schedule – Montgomery County understands construction will have temporary impacts on congestion and delay along the Ridge Pike corridor. Montgomery County is committed to staging construction in a manner that minimizes construction duration, as well as limiting the length of the roadway segments in construction at any one time. The project team is developing a “zone-by-zone” approach to address these issues.

The current design for the traffic signal at Joshua Road will remain in final design as presented at the public meeting. Protected left-turn signals are not warranted based upon engineering reviews of the traffic signal design. As a result, the design will be advanced without incorporating these features. Adding the requested phase/left arrow would reduce the intersection’s overall LOS and increase delay.

The Team prepared Turn Lane Warrant Analyses Forms using Design Year 2042 projected traffic volumes. A conflict factor of 50,000 must be exceeded for two separate one-hour periods for protected/permitted phasing to be warranted. The highest hourly calculated conflict factor computed is only 25,784 (2042 AM Peak Joshua Road NB) and 27,060 (2042 PM Peak Joshua Road SB). While the conflict factor requirement is somewhat subjective, it isn’t close to being met at Joshua Road.

We believe PennDOT’s recommendation would be to prioritize flow on Ridge Pike and would not consider adding a protected left-turn phase on Joshua Road. In response to the public comments received to date, the County obtained a new intersection traffic count in May 2025 to confirm that the previous warrant analysis was still valid; values above are based on those current counts.

Plans for a trail to connect Joshua Road to the Schuylkill River Trail with bicycle facilities are outside the scope of this project. There are no plans to eliminate the existing trail along Joshua Road at the golf course.

Montgomery County is committed to providing continuous sidewalks along the south side through the entire project area. Sidewalks are provided on the north side where it is practical. Montgomery County assessed the potential for including continuous sidewalks on both sides of Ridge Pike during the preliminary engineering phase and determined that impacts to adjacent properties would be undesirable with continuous sidewalks on the north side of Ridge Pike. Sidewalks on Joshua Road and Crescent Avenue are outside the scope of this project.

The design team added contact information to the correspondence list for all parties who attended the public meeting on 3/24/25 or commented on the project to date. Project updates will be distributed to the project email list (sign up here), posted on this website and Montgomery County's website, www.ridgepikeproject.com, as they become available.

Modifications to the drainage and stormwater management system will be advanced in final design to meet regulatory requirements and any impacts to private property will be coordinated on a case-by-case basis through the right-of-way process. Properties acquired for stormwater management will not be developed and will not be accessible to the public for park use.