Matlack St. to DE Border

US 202, Section 100 is located between the Delaware State Line in Delaware County (Bethel, Concord, Chadds Ford, and Thornbury townships) and Matlack Street in Chester County (West Goshen, Westtown, Thornbury, and Birmingham townships). This eight-mile section of US 202 is a four-lane, signalized arterial highway. Over the last 20 years the corridor has developed to a point where traffic congestion occurs throughout the corridor, most noticeably at a number of intersections including Matlack Street, PA 926, US 1 and Naamans Creek Road.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is re-evaluating the proposed improvement plan that was developed to widen US 202 from four lanes to six lanes to determine if the project needs can be met through lower-cost alternatives. PennDOT completed an update to its comprehensive traffic study for the corridor, which included traffic counts of every intersection, crash analysis of the corridor, and the development of a traffic simulation model. This traffic simulation model has allowed the project team to quickly evaluate a number of lower-cost, corridor-wide improvement options including: widening US 202 to six lanes in specific locations; reducing the scope of widening in certain areas with the use of concrete curbing instead of paved shoulders; and developing improvement options with and without grade-separated interchanges at US 1, PA 926, and Matlack Street.

PennDOT is taking a realistic and practical approach to implement a corridor-wide solution due to funding constraints and is applying Smart Transportation principles to this section of US 202 to receive the most value for its financial investment. This approach may lead to a re-scoping of the environmental studies from an Environmental Impact Statement to individual Categorical Exclusions, subject to the approval of federal, state and local transportation and environmental agencies. PennDOT is working with Delaware and Chester counties to develop a long-term implementation plan so smaller, easier-to-fund projects can be identified and moved quickly through the project development process, with the ultimate goal of getting these projects on the region’s Transportation Improvement Program.

PennDOT’s plan is to develop a series of projects to meet the corridor’s short and long-term transportation needs. These projects are to be consistent with the community’s goals and objectives, and address quality of life concerns, fiscal constraints, and other social/environmental criteria. The plan also is intended to identify opportunities to improve travel for pedestrians, motorists, bicyclists and transit riders. The future improvement options will meet the following measures of effectiveness:

         1. Improve corridor safety;
         2. Improve traffic operations;
         3. Improve local connections;
         4. Be fiscally responsible;
         5. Minimize environmental impacts;
         6. Improve multimodal use; and
         7. Manage growth.

PennDOT’s project team will continue to work with the county planning commissions, local municipalities, transportation management associations, and the US 202 Executive Committee over the next several months to develop a planning document.

PennDOT also will continue to maintain Route 202 and keep it in sound condition. In addition, the Department will obtain development plans from townships along the corridor to stay abreast of the development plans along and near US 202. Roadway improvements have been made along the corridor in recent years as a result of the construction of commercial and residential developments.