Man wants traffic signal at intersection of Pa. 16, Monterey Lane

July 28, 2010|By JENNIFER FITCH

WAYNESBORO, Pa. -- Concerned with safety at the intersection of Pa. 16 and Monterey Lane, a Blue Ridge Summit, Pa., man on Wednesday asked the Washington Township (Pa.) Supervisors to consider a traffic signal for the mountaintop.

Eric Schlosser said the problems with speeding, parked vehicles obstructing line of sight, passing, and cross traffic worsened in the past 10 years.

"It's chaos," Schlosser said. "It's the Wild West."

The intersection has Tracey's Corner and a real estate company on the south side

Some of the supervisors said they, too, have seen accidents narrowly avoided in that area. However, they said they're not sure what the right solution is.

"Roundabouts are tools, and they're a tool PennDOT is really looking at," Supervisor Jeff Geesaman said, saying that option would require more land than a traffic light.

With a traffic light, westbound traffic could back up at a red light and cause tractor-trailers to get stuck on the incline, he said.

Township Manager Mike Christopher said those redeveloping Fort Ritchie committed to installing a traffic signal at the intersection of Pa. 16 and Monterey Lane when the campus employs a certain number of people. Yet, that point in the redevelopment could be years away, he said.

Schlosser said the township can't afford to wait.

"I've been hearing for years something needs to be done at that intersection before someone else gets killed," Supervisor Elaine Gladhill said.

Eastbound traffic using the two lanes on Pa. 16 (Buchanan Trail East) travels 60 or 70 mph, then motorists don't see the signs or heed the change when the speed limit drops to 40 mph, Schlosser said.

The supervisors agreed they'd ask Police Chief Barry Keller to compile information about accidents in the area. Geesaman commended police for their presence around that intersection during the morning commute, when some Pennsylvania residents are using Monterey Lane to go to Maryland or Washington, D.C.

Both Pa. 16 and Monterey Lane are state roads. If the supervisors wanted to proceed with installing a traffic signal, Christopher said they'd need to contact PennDOT (the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation) and do a traffic study.

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