Lehighton plans changes to Hoffman Blvd.
Lehighton wants to remove the turning lane on Sgt. Stanley Hoffman Boulevard, and add pedestrian improvements. BOB FORD/TIMES NEWS
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Lehighton is hoping to secure over $800,000 to complete a project that would drastically change Sgt. Stanley Hoffman Boulevard for both motorists and pedestrians.
Last week, the Carbon County Planning Commission briefly outlined its support letter for a Multimodal Transportation Fund grant application that Lehighton is submitting for the creation of safe pedestrian connections and calm motorist traffic along the bypass.
“The project removes the left turning lane on the boulevard, which is used as a passing lane and encourages speeding and has led to numerous accidents,” Ivan O. Meixell, county planner, said.
Nicole Beckett, Lehighton borough manager, said that the grant the borough is applying for is $818,921 and would be used to create “landscaped curb extensions at the gateway and along the west side of the Sgt. Stanley Hoffman Boulevard to eliminate the full-length left turn lane.
“Three crosswalks will be designated to cross the roadway (and) include landscaped bump outs, marked crosswalks, pedestrian-activated flashing beacon signs and ADA ramps,” Beckett said. “Also a walkway is proposed to be constructed along with the west side of Lehigh Drive for trail users.”
If the borough is successful in securing the funds, Beckett said the project would be designed and bid out in 2020. The project came about following a waterfront traffic study that was completed in 2018.
Beckett said that “with the construction of the trail, new businesses and connection to the downtown from that area, borough council had requested we complete a traffic study for the existing conditions and to prepare for future growth.
“There is a lot of traffic along Sgt. Stanley Hoffman Boulevard and we are looking to improve pedestrian safety along with connect the waterfront to the downtown,” she said.
Comments
People on their own speed. They are in a hurry to get where?
How about the authority just do their job and enforce the traffic laws.
How about reducing the time spent writing a traffic ticket, so that more tickets can be produced. Hit the violators in the wallet, not the whole community.
This would "Discourage Speeding"
It would also increase revenue. Sort of like beer sales, but in a better way.
I'm sick of the lawlessness. I learned to slow down, perhaps because I drive older vehicles... or do I drive older vehicles so I am forced to slow down?
Sign me... Pappy in the Pace Car
Fast forward to 30 years later, someone conducted a decision based on a study (someone who possibly never grew up here) decided it needs to be turned into yet another narrow "street" within the borough by trimming it down to only ONE single lane, inherently slowing traffic flow for ANY turns, defeating the design, intent, and purpose of the bypass in the first place. This only adds to travel time for motorists passing through Lehighton. All for the sake of pedestrian traffic, (which is still minimal impact when compared to the voluminous vehicular traffic that flows onto that route on a daily basis).
Why not add this "improvement project" fund for the repairing of existing potholes on our aging state roads that inherently force drivers into distraction, instead of watching out for the pedestrians in the first place?
I predict that within the near future a tearing-down of this "clutter" will occur for a wider, boulevard-type roadway with networked/timed traffic signals to compensate for the backlogs of bottlenecked traffic stacked to the McCall bridge.
Turning two lanes into one as an improvement to traffic is an oxymoron.
The by pass allowed people to cruise through the area as they developed in town parking. If this is done, the choked travellers will learn to skip the town completely. We have a nice town. We all need to stop letting corrupt government lobbyists influence the region by taking our taxes outside the community.
This is a political handout to businesses on the backs of the taxpayers. The voice of the hundreds of thousands of statewide motorists will be silenced by a government listening to lobbyist seeking an advantage.
Someday, when transparency teaches people to follow the money, the corruption will be reduced.
Sincerely,
Citizen David F. Bradley Sr.