Lower Salford Township Photo by James Short.
The public works department of Lower Salford Township saw a need to inform residents of the details involved in its road improvement program
By improving resident communication and education, Lower Salford Township received the top prize in PennDOT’s annual Build a Better Mousetrap Innovation Challenge Monday, May 5 during the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors’ Excellence Awards ceremony.
The event, which recognizes the significant achievements of townships and their officials from across the state, was held as part of PSATS’ 2025 Educational Conference and Exhibit Show in Hershey. May 5 was the opening day of the conference, which has attracted attendees from every county in 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.
The public works department of Lower Salford Township saw a need to inform residents of the details involved in its road improvement program. The goal was to get away from printed pages and provide a visual explanation of the process and timeline.
The township was able to create a QR Code that linked to a professionally made video clip including narration and benefits to the road improvement process. The QR Code was sent in letters to residents and posted at various locations where people walked or jogged.
“Leveraging this technology reduced the number of phone calls from residents that ‘just wanted to know’ if the chip seal (first step) was the final product, when the contractor would be back, and just the general what’s happening on my street,” said Doug Jones, public works director.
“It also allows the township to better communicate with our residents by showing them what will be happening on their street and how the use of the cape seal process benefits the community,” said Jones. “The challenge was to adequately explain the process in a concise manner without sending a multi-page letter that no one would take the time to read.”
The Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors represents Pennsylvania’s 1,453 townships of the second class and is aimed at preserving and strengthening township government and securing greater visibility and involvement for townships in the state and federal political arenas. Townships of the second class cover 95% of Pennsylvania’s land mass and represent more residents — nearly six million — than any other type of political subdivision in the Commonwealth.
