Township officials meet with engineer to discuss intersection worries
This image shows trees that reportedly hamper vision to oncoming traffic near the intersection of East Blake Avenue and East Crawford Avenue, in Connellsville Township, where numerous accidents have occurred over the past several years.
Connellsville Township supervisor Bob Carson talks with Pat M. Wright, Local Assistance Technical Program engineer, at the corner of East Blake Avenue and East Crawford Avenue in Connellsville Township, where numerous accidents have occurred over the past several years.
Connellsville Township supervisors Tom Cesario (left) and Bob Carson use a measuring wheel to check sight distance from corner of East Blake Avenue and East Crawford Avenue in Connellsville Township, where numerous accidents have occurred over the past several years.
CONNELLSVILLE TWP. 鈥� Dozens of trucks and cars traveled East Crawford Avenue Wednesday morning as local and state representatives discussed ways make the road safer for those using it to get to their destinations.
Professional engineer Pat M. Wright of the state Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP), township supervisors Bob Carson and Tom Cesario and Julie Peters, Fayette EMS assistant chief, traversed the areas of concern several times to measure distances, take photographs and note the amount of traffic to determine a solution to curb the number of accidents at the East Blake and East Crawford Avenue intersection.
鈥淲e certainly think there is a problem at the intersection,鈥� said Carson, following the nearly two-hour meeting.
Over the past several months, residents have attended the monthly supervisors鈥� meetings and asked that officials take immediate action to improve the intersection because of the number of accidents that had occurred over a lengthy period of time.
Carson said that information obtained from local emergency responders note that the bulk of the accidents take place during daylight hours and are 90-degree impacts, indicating that vehicles are being struck as they pull from East Blake Avenue onto East Crawford Avenue.
A state Department of Transportation study states that those exiting East Blake Avenue can sufficiently see oncoming traffic, said Carson. However, he added, a study to determine the average speed of the vehicles has yet to be completed.
鈥淲e have requested PennDOT come out and do that (speed) study and it will likely be (LTAP蘑菇视频) recommendation it be done,鈥� said Carson.
Cesario said that he believes that speed is a factor in the number of accidents that have taken place.
鈥淲e鈥檝e talked about that with the state police and they have offered to help,鈥� he said.
The community does not have a local police force and relies on the state police at Uniontown to patrol the township.
The width of the roadway, said Cesario, does not give the appearance of a 30 mph speed limit, rather for a higher rate of speed.
鈥淚t is not your typical 30-mph road,鈥� he said.
East Crawford Avenue is the prime access road for trucks to Route 119 and Route 711. Those residing in the area typically use East Blake Avenue as it provides easy access to Route 119 in both the northbound and southbound directions.
At the July meeting, supervisors introduced an ordinance that would restrict traffic on East Blake Avenue from entering onto East Crawford Avenue.
Carson said that it is 鈥渙ne solution鈥� being considered by the supervisors.
鈥淲e have to be cautious in any decision we make,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f we restrict traffic on East Blake, that means drivers will use another intersection and we have to ask ourselves is that going to be a safe alternative?
鈥淚t just might be just as problematic.鈥�
In the interim, the local assistance program will provide traffic counting equipment to allow the township to determine the use of both East and West Blake Avenues.
鈥淭he goal is to be sure the residents using their neighborhood streets to access East Crawford, do so in a safe manner,鈥� said Cesario.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to consider all the options that develop from this study before making a final decision.鈥�
The supervisors said that LTAP study is expected to be completed within the next few weeks.