Tamaqua discusses traffic patterns

Proposals to make Tamaqua’s traffic changes due to the construction detour permanent did not fly at Tamaqua’s monthly council meeting.

Ritchie Linkhorst, chairman of the parking and traffic committee, presented requests for ordinances keeping Hegarty Avenue as a one-way street, going east, turning Hunter one way north from Spruce to West Broad. That is actually the opposite of how the traffic is currently flowing.

The board also requested to keep Nescopec Street two ways between West Broad and Hegarty Avenue. A request was made to keep the no parking section on the 200 block of Washington Street.

All failed narrowly, by a 3-4 vote.

While there was some support for the motions, at least one resident from Hunter Street said that since the street has been one way, it has turned into a “speedway.”

Residents also said that although traffic may seem to flow more smoothly, it does not currently have the strain of school-related traffic that will be back on the road by the end of the month.

Councilman Brian Connely said, “It’s working now, because we need it to work, we’re making do.”

Councilwoman Mary Linkevich stated in no uncertain terms that making the temporary changes permanent would “ruin her life.”

“We are always going to have narrow streets and I need every street that I can to get through town,” she added.

One resident said that having Hunter Street as a one-way street, particularly in the winter time, with the hill, would cause an undue hardship for many of the residents in the area who would need to loop all the way around town just to get to the downtown area.

Council approved several requests for parking and sign changes at Trinity United Church of Christ on Lafayette street, including the movement of the handicap loading and unloading sign 20 feet west, an ordinance prohibiting parking in front of the main entrance to the church, and the movement of a handicap parking space by a few feet at 215 Washington St.

The changes to the church parking came as a result of an active shooter training seminar that was held at the church.

Council also voted to suspend the issuance of monthly parking meter permits for Mauch Chunk Street. Residents of the area will no longer be allowed to purchase the monthly parking passes which allow them to park in a metered space for a monthly fee.

The change comes in response to a request from business owners to free up parking spaces along the street for the businesses that operate there. Several of the businesses have requested 15-minute parking signs for their businesses, but council declined to address that matter at this time.