Resolutions approved for traffic signals for proposed Route 443 road widening

The proposed Route 443 road widening project in Mahoning Township continues to garner more steam.

Lehighton Borough Council on Monday approved a pair of resolutions related to the project, which is intended to reduce traffic congestion and crashes, according to the state Department of Transportation.

The first resolution was to authorize the submission of the application for the Route 443/902 traffic signal application to PennDOT, and authorizing the signer of the application, pending final review.

Council also approved the second resolution, which authorizes the submission of the application for the Route 443/209 traffic signal application to PennDOT and authorizing the signer of the application, pending final review.

After the meeting, borough manager Nicole Beckett said the borough owns two traffic signals within the area of the 443 project.

“We had received the applications and drawings for submittal for the project,” Beckett said. “The drawings are currently under review, and once approved, the documents will be forwarded to PennDOT.”

In November, several business owners attended a council meeting to object to the project.

Bill Klepeiss, general manager of Lehighton Ford, told council at that time the project could have a “crippling” effect on various properties and businesses located along the strip, and will likely cause them to close or relocate.

Klepeiss maintains that traffic congestion issues don’t exist. He said there’s no significant changes in the crash data to support the need for the project. He added that the coalition doesn’t believe there’s a need for a proposed third lane down by the section where the businesses are located.

He said the coalition is seeking ways to mitigate and minimize the impact to the businesses.

Ron Young, PennDOT spokesman, said that from Jan. 1, 2014, to Dec. 31, 2018, there were 115 crashes.

Of the 115 crashes, 57 were rear-end crashes and 35 were angle crashes.

There was one fatality, Young said, adding that rear-end and angle-type crashes are typically associated with traffic congestion and turning movements.

Young said the purpose of the project is to improve roadway facilities to reduce traffic congestion and crashes, and to improve the structural integrity and functionality of the bridges to eliminate deficiencies.

Young added that this section of 443 has increased traffic volumes due to continued commercial development.

He said proposed improvements to 443 were identified in the Central Carbon County Comprehensive Plan (October/November 2011), which includes Mahoning Township and Lehighton.

PA 443 is also noted as a key problem area in the Carbon County Comprehensive and Greenway Plan, which recommends additional turn lanes, as well as controls to minimize additional unplanned commercial driveway entrances.

The 443 roadway was originally constructed in 1945 as two 11-foot wide by 9-inch thick, top-reinforced concrete slabs with 10-foot wide unpaved graded shoulders. Subsequent resurfacing projects added a 2½-inch surface over the concrete slabs and 4¾-inch thick variable-width paved shoulders.

Young said both the 443 and Route 248 projects are likely to be happening concurrently. One lane in each direction on 248 will remain open during the construction.

The goal, he said, will be to keep two lanes of traffic open throughout the project, with traffic being shifted to one half of the road while construction takes place, then moved onto the new section while the other half of the road is constructed. There will be limited times when there is one direction of traffic being controlled by flaggers. Also, they will maintain all driveway access for property owners.

Bids are expected to be put out in the spring, with construction estimated to last three years.