KING OF PRUSSIA, PA — A team of students from Lower Moreland High School has been recognized by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) for its innovative approach to a real-world transportation problem. The students’ solution, which incorporates sustainable engineering and design, could potentially reshape how communities address aging infrastructure.
The PennDOT Innovations Challenge is a statewide competition that invites high school students to develop creative and strategic solutions to transportation challenges. This year, participants were tasked with redeveloping a stretch of roadway that had previously separated an existing neighborhood, causing residents and businesses to relocate.
The challenge required students to address numerous community needs, including bicycle and pedestrian traffic, reconnecting the separated neighborhood, allowing for new business development, and ensuring smooth traffic flow.
The Lower Moreland High School team, mentored by Nick Solomon and consisting of students Brinda Dass, Anna Akhobadze, Lindsay McShane, and Sharon Lee, rose to the occasion with a plan that demonstrated remarkable foresight and creativity.
Their winning regional design includes bike lanes, porous asphalt pavement, trail access, traffic signals with sensors, and business opportunities. A standout feature of their plan is the use of piezo-electric tiles in the construction of bike lanes. These tiles generate electricity when pressure is applied, offering a potential energy and funding source.
PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll commended the students for their diligence and creativity, stating, “These students display the kind of diligence and creativity that our future transportation planners must have to better meet the needs of Pennsylvania’s communities.”
Lou Belmonte, PennDOT District 6 Executive, also praised the finalists’ designs, encouraging students to continue offering creative ideas to transform our infrastructure today and tomorrow.
The Lower Moreland High School team will present their solution to Secretary Carroll and a panel of judges in Harrisburg on May 1, where a statewide winner for 2024 will be determined. The Transportation Policy and Education Foundation, an educational arm of the Associated Pennsylvania Constructors (APC) organization, and the American Council of Engineering Companies of PA (ACEC/PA) are providing a combined total award of $4,000 to the statewide winning team.
This competition not only encourages students to think critically about the challenges facing their communities but also helps them consider potential careers in the transportation industry. It’s a shining example of how young minds can contribute to the improvement and modernization of Pennsylvania’s infrastructure, one innovative idea at a time.
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