The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) today announced that a team of students from Fort LeBoeuf High School in Erie County has been selected as the PennDOT District 1 winner for its seventh Innovations Challenge.

Mentored by teacher Cody Patton, team members include Austin Stein, Mason Friedman, James Oviatt, and Ayden Wolfarth.

The PennDOT Innovations Challenge is a statewide competition for high school students from around the Commonwealth to develop creative solutions and strategic solutions to real-world transportation challenges. The Innovations Challenge allows students to explore the actual challenges PennDOT and the transportation industry face as well as consider the possibility of working in the industry later in life.

Since last fall, students around Pennsylvania have been developing an implementable plan for redeveloping a stretch of roadway that, when constructed, separated an existing neighborhood, requiring people and businesses to relocate. Plans were required to address the needs of the community, including accommodating bicycle and pedestrian traffic, connecting the separated neighborhood, allowing for new business development and ensuring the smooth flow of traffic.

“As our transportation infrastructure ages out of its useful lifespan, we're presented with opportunities to improve on past decisions," said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “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."

The winning regional team's innovation was to construct a roundabout between the two separated communities to decrease congestion and create a connection that could attract future business development. The team also proposed trimming the number of lanes approaching the roundabout, while introducing new bicycle lanes and crosswalks to encourage safe pedestrian and bicycle passage.

Regional Innovations Challenge winners will present their solutions to Secretary Carroll and a panel of judges in Harrisburg on May 1, where a statewide winner for 2024 will be determined. For this year's challenge, 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.

For complete Innovations Challenge details, visit www.penndot.pa.gov/innovation and click on Innovations Challenge.

Subscribe to statewide PennDOT news and traffic alerts or choose a region to subscribe to. Information about the state's infrastructure and results the department is delivering for Pennsylvanians can be found at www.penndot.pa.gov/results. Find PennDOT's planned and active construction projects at www.projects.penndot.gov.  

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