CLEARFIELD – In Clearfield and Elk counties, PennDOT is using a new method to alert drivers that they could encounter elk on area roadways.
Last week, PennDOT staff placed a portable Highway Advisory Radio system on Route 255 near Penfield and just south of St. Marys. This system will broadcast a message reminding drivers that the elk – weighing in at 500 pounds or more as adults – could be on the roadway.
“We want the traveling public to be extra cautious about elk on the roadway because they can cause so much damage in an accident,” said PennDOT District 2 Maintenance Operations Manager Greg Sayers. “This is a valuable tool for the public because the portability of the system allows us to move equipment through the region as the elk herd moves.”
The HAR system joins portable message boards that have been along the road for approximately four weeks. Signs have been used to raise driver awareness of the elk for the past three years in Elk County.
PennDOT reminds drivers to allow for some extra travel time in this area and to always buckle up.
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