Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania basks along the eastern shores of the Susquehanna River in the Dauphin County. The Blue Mountain ridge of the Appalachian Mountains is directly north of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and the Cumberland Valley lies directly to the west. Harrisburg is the northern fringe of the famed and historic Pennsylvania Dutch Country.
Since the days of riverboat traffic, Harrisburg has been the regional center of transportation. Harrisburg's prime location was an important factor in its 1812 selection as the capital of Pennsylvania. Due to the central location, Harrisburg has played a large part in the development of the Central Pennsylvania's transportation network, including the region's railroads, highways, and airports.
Today, Harrisburg is one of the most important commercial centers and distribution points in the Eastern U.S. Harrisburg is the major city in the Capital Region, an area that encompasses Harrisburg, Hershey, Carlisle, and the towns and communities which lie between these cities. Public transportation throughout the Capital Region is provided by Amtrak Keystone Service, which stops at the historic Harrisburg Station in downtown Harrisburg, and the Harrisburg International Airport. Harrisburg, PA also enjoys excellent highway access to all points throughout Central Pennsylvania with over a dozen large bridges, many up to a mile long, that cross the Susquehanna River.
The Pennsylvania Turnpike (Interstate 76), Interstate 81, and Interstate 83 are the major roadways which connect Harrisburg to nearby Carlisle, York, Middletown and Reading. The Capital Beltway is comprised of I-81 to the north, I-83 to the east and south and PA-581 to the west of the city. U.S. Routes 22 and 322 also pass through the city and U.S. 11 and 15 pass just to the west. The Capital Beltway contains a number of cloverleaf interchanges with tightly curved ramps and is typically very congested during rush hours.
The largest employer, state government, provides a major boost to the economy of Harrisburg, and several national firms including Tyco Electronics Corp., Hershey Foods, Harsco Corp. and Rite Aid Corp. are either headquartered in or near Harrisburg, or have major operations there. Located midway between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, Harrisburg has long been an important freight center. Harrisburg's roadways handle large numbers of vehicle traffic daily including auto, light and heavy truck traffic. I-83 in Harrisburg handles 113,384 vehicles daily, and I-81 handles 76,651 vehicles daily in Harrisburg, according to the 2009 Pennsylvania Traffic Data.
As a major freight distribution center, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania sees a large amount of heavy truck traffic on the city's roadways. In 2008, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 34 fatal motor vehicle crashes on Dauphin County's roadways. Large trucks were responsible for 195 fatal crashes in Pennsylvania during 2008, which is 9.6% of all fatal accidents within the state. Over 80% of these fatal tractor trailer accidents involved collisions with another motor vehicle, and over 50% of these accidents were front end collisions. The vast majority of heavy truck crashes involving vehicle failures as primary contributing factors in the crash, were related to brakes, tires and wheels, and unsecured or overloaded trailers.
As the capital of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Dauphin County, Harrisburg, PA hosts a variety of government offices. The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. City Government Center is a central location for Harrisburg's city government. The Dauphin County Government Complex, in downtown Harrisburg, is the hub of Dauphin County government. The Pennsylvania State Capitol Complex boosts Harrisburg's stature as a regional and national hub for government. The Commonwealth Judicial Center, which houses Pennsylvania's three appellate courts, the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, the Superior Court and the Supreme Court, is located in Harrisburg as is the Ronald Reagan Federal Building and Courthouse, which contains the regional administrative offices of the federal government.
For a sampling of the history of Harrisburg, the John Harris-Simon Cameron Mansion boasts three centuries of history plus exhibits on folk art. The Pennsylvania State Museum is home to archeology, history, and art exhibits. The Capitol offers free guided tours of the complex which showcase architecture inspired by St. Peter's Basilica and the Paris Opera House. Visitors see an up-close look at state government in action. An old-fashioned paddle wheeler, the Pride of the Susquehanna, offers cruises down the Susquehanna River. The Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center is home to a host of exciting events each year in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, including the Pennsylvania Farm Show, the All-American Dairy Show, and the Keystone International Livestock Exposition.
Harrisburg Truck Accident Lawyers
Harrisburg is the county seat of Dauphin County and the capital of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Dauphin County had 35 deaths in traffic accidents in 2008, including three fatalities in large truck accidents.
If you have been seriously injured or lost a loved one in a large truck accident in Harrisburg or Dauphin County, you need a Pennsylvania truck accident lawyer with a proven record of standing up to trucking companies and protecting the rights of truck accident victims. The truck injury lawyers at Munley, Munley & Cartwright, P.C., focus on commercial truck accident cases and are experienced at analyzing and negotiating complex truck wreck cases on behalf of our clients.
Contact an experienced Pennsylvania truck accident attorney at Munley, Munley & Cartwright, P.C., for a free consultation by completing our online accident evaluation form or calling toll free at 877-421-9175.
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