Early Haul Route Planning Prevents Costly Delays for Solar Sites in Pennsylvania

Overview

In solar development, the shortest route to project failure often lies in something deceptively simple: site access.

The lesson came to light during haul route planning efforts for multiple solar sites in Pennsylvania. 

One site, in particular, stood out as a viable solar location with a hidden threat. Had it not been discovered early, the result could have been serious construction delays and significant financial losses. 

The Challenge

Solar developers often overlook route planning in the early stages of the project, assuming it to be a task suited for later stages. 

But on this site, that assumption could have proven disastrous.

There was only one viable roadway to access the site, and the intersection of that road with the main highway was scheduled to be reconstructed by PennDOT (Pennsylvania Department of Transportation) over the next two years – rendering it impassable for construction traffic to the proposed site.

Without timely intervention, the consequences would have been severe:

• Haul trucks unable to enter the site
• Heavy machinery stranded
• Contractors on standby with nowhere to work
• A construction delay and headaches
• Estimated hundreds of thousands of dollars in cost overruns

The Solution

Access NEP’s haul route planning team conducted a thorough evaluation of all proposed routes and access points. This included:

• Assessing road conditions and vehicle-specific constraints
  
• Identifying time-based restrictions due to public infrastructure upgrades
  
• Coordinating with PennDOT to confirm closure schedules and detours
  
• Providing recommendations to continue coordination with PennDOT contractor and to note this key risk in the project schedules

The Outcome

• Identified the risk of a substantial project delay
  
• Avoided hundreds of thousands of dollars in potential losses and contractor standby fees
  
• Enabled earlier decision-making on site feasibility and resource allocation
  
• Established a foundation for smoother inter-agency coordination

The Takeaway

Haul route planning isn’t a late-stage checkbox. Done early, it can prevent major disruptions and de-risk your entire construction plan.

In this case, a single intersection closure could have cost at least a year in delays and a small fortune in idle equipment. Timely intervention helped prevent both and gave the project a smoother way forward. 

If you wait until construction to think about access, you’re letting other agencies take control of your project.