S. Londonderry Twp. wins PennDOT’s ‘Build a Better Mousetrap’ contest

South Londonderry Township this month received the top prize in PennDOT’s annual Build a Better Mousetrap Contest during the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors’ Excellence Awards ceremony.

The event recognizes the significant achievements of townships and their officials from across the state and was held as part of PSATS’ 2026 Educational Conference and Exhibit Show in Hershey, which opened April 22. The show attracts attendees from throughout Pennsylvania.

The Build a Better Mousetrap Award honors projects built and designed by road crews or municipal employees to improve safety, reduce costs, and/or increase efficiency.

South Londonderry sought to address speeding concerns along a section of road that was subject to motorists avoiding a troublesome intersection along a state route. A traffic study found speeds in excess of 11 mph over the posted speed limit of 25 mph.

“We had multiple complaints about this street,” said assistant township manager Richie Daubert. “It was basically a dragstrip, and people had been using it as a bypass of a state intersection.”

Following PennDOT’s Traffic Calming Handbook and Design Manual, the township adopted a traffic calming policy and worked with a resident-led community group to craft a solution. Raised speed tables proved to be the most effective and economical option. The township’s highway department constructed forms for the tables and crafted asphalt ramps. Each table location was selected based on traffic data with a focus on areas with the highest incidents of speeding.

By using in-house designs and labor, the township completed the project with roughly a $5,000 investment. The result was reduced speeds of over 5 mph in both the average and 85th percentile. The traffic tables improved pedestrian safety, reduced through-traffic speeds, and achieved community satisfaction.

“Our guys, being super creative in doing a job efficiently, came up with a simple form for asphalt and it worked magnificently,” Daubert said. “We saw a dramatic decrease in speeds and the data remains consistent. The community is extremely happy.”

The Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors represents Pennsylvania’s 1,453 second-class townships, which cover 95% of the commonwealth’s land surface and represent nearly 6 million residents.