Traffic Flow

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - Hamilton Township and Chambersburg are considering recommendations to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation on how best to improve traffic flow on U.S. 30 west of the borough, including making Loudon Street eastbound-only. A study of alternate routes between U.S. 30 west and U.S. 11 south of the borough concluded that most traffic is headed into - not around - Chambersburg and the best results might be achieved by improving U.S. 30, Borough Manager Eric Oyer told the council Monday.

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. - Much of the traffic from the proposed 3,300-home Hunt Field development will be routed to Charles Town Bypass, preventing feared congestion downtown, according to a traffic study recently released by developer Greenvest L.C. of Vienna, Va. According to the study, Greenvest will build a railroad overpass that will link two sections of the 1,000-acre property currently divided by railroad tracks. The overpass, which will cost a little over $1 million to build, will allow Hunt Field residents from any part of the development to reach the east side of the property, where they can access the Charles Town Bypass, the study says.

By KIMBERLY YAKOWSKI / Staff Writer photo: KEVIN G. GILBERT / staff photographer HANCOCK - The eastbound lanes of Interstate 70 near Hancock were closed for more than nine hours Tuesday following a wreck involving four tractor trailers. Traffic was rerouted through the town, causing a backup of more than a quarter mile. No serious injuries were reported in the 12:34 p.m. accident. --cont. from front page -- Crews worked throughout the day to clean up the area.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - Interstate 81 construction projects set to begin this spring will help bring Berkeley County up to speed with the area's development boom, officials said. The planned widening of the King Street bridge over I-81 from two to five lanes could begin as early as April and will mark the beginning of five I-81 projects designed to improve traffic flow through Berkeley County, said Randy Epperly. [cont. from news page ] Epperly, the deputy state highway engineer for project development in Charleston, said the I-81 plans are a reaction to the amount of traffic already in the county and should accommodate continued growth over the next 20 years.

CHARLES TOWN, W.VA. ? A Jefferson County official suggested Thursday that the county should explore the possibility of building a new road on the Blue Ridge Mountain that would help handle a potential wave of traffic from a disaster like a terrorist attack. If a terrorist attack or some other emergency occurred in one of the nearby metropolitan areas to the East, traffic coming over the mountain likely would be overwhelming, Jefferson County Commissioner Greg Corliss said. Not only would travel over the mountain be difficult, but people who live there would be hampered from traveling as well, Corliss said.

WAYNESBORO, Pa. - Northeast Avenue could be a one-way street within two or three months if the Waynesboro Borough Council considers the proposal on a timeline proposed by one of its members. Ronnie Martin, who now serves on the borough's street committee, asked for public input on the idea before a planned end-of-February decision by council. The councilman said he wants to eliminate turns onto East Main Street from Northeast Avenue, instead sending southbound traffic onto Roadside Avenue and through its traffic light.

WAYNESBORO, Pa. - Northeast Avenue could be a one-way street within two or three months if the Waynesboro Borough Council considers the proposal on a timeline proposed by one of its members. Ronnie Martin, who now serves on the borough's street committee, asked for public input on the idea before a planned end-of-February decision by council. The councilman said he wants to eliminate turns onto East Main Street from Northeast Avenue, instead sending southbound traffic onto Roadside Avenue and through its traffic light.

HAGERSTOWN - A group of residents living on the north side of Hagerstown is concerned that city officials might turn over a portion of their neighborhood to a developer and increase traffic as a result. Amanda Towne and about 40 of her neighbors attended a Hagerstown Planning Commission meeting Wednesday to tell the city they oppose a proposal to quitclaim the land between the ends of Country Club Road and Woodland Way, just east of the American Legion. A quitclaim, in this case, would relinquish the city's claim on the property.

HAGERSTOWN - Construction to widen Eastern Boulevard between Conrad Court and Jefferson Boulevard could begin by early September, Assistant City Engineer Jim Bender said Monday. The Hagerstown City Council is scheduled during its work session this afternoon to discuss bid proposals from four contractors, he said. According to city documents, Craig Paving Inc. submitted the lowest base bid for about $3.58 million. Other base bids were placed by Valley Quarries Inc., $3.74 million; L.W. Wolfe, $4.48 million; and C. William Hetzer, $4.9 million, the documents said.

MAUGANSVILLE - A proposed project to widen Maugans Avenue from U.S. 11 to Main Street will help move the increasing traffic flow through town but the details still need to be worked out, Washington County Engineer Terry McGee told Maugansville residents at a County Commissioners meeting there Tuesday night. The project, which is still in the preliminary planning stage, would widen the road east of Interstate 81 to five lanes and the road west of the interstate to three lanes, McGee said.