Woman injured at controversial township intersection
In this recent file photo a tri-axle dump truck travels on East Crawford Avenue (Route 711) at the intersection with Blake Avenue in Connellsville Township.
Poplar Grove resident Sherrie Blatt was injured Friday when her vehicle was struck by a truck at the intersection of East Blake and East Crawford avenues.
?CONNELLSVILLE TWP. 鈥� A township woman is recuperating in a Pittsburgh hospital after sustaining multiple injuries in a Friday accident at the intersection of East Blake and East Crawford avenues.
It is not the first time Sherrie Blatt has been involved in an accident at the intersection.
However, a family member and her Poplar Grove neighbors are hoping their pleas to the state Department of Transportation and local supervisors to make improvements will make it the last incident.
Blatt sustained a broken shoulder blade, ribs and ankle and other injuries in the two-vehicle accident.
鈥淚 would really like to know when human life became less important than the possibility of a lawsuit over some trees that may or may not die if they are cut back,鈥� said Rhonda Blatt, the daughter of the accident victim. 鈥淗ow many people have to be seriously injured or die before something is done?鈥�
Less than four weeks ago Sherrie Blatt joined other residents that use East Blake Avenue at the regular township meeting to express their fears about the intersection.
Multiple stories were recounted by attendees of accidents and near misses that took place at the intersection.
Residents attributed the accidents to the inability to see oncoming traffic because of several large pine trees along the road and the speed of those traveling the roadway.
Poplar Grove resident Tom Saxon said he is frustrated with the township蘑菇视频 inaction.
鈥淒oes someone have to get killed and buried before they do something?鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 tired of hearing they are doing this or that,鈥� he said. 鈥淣othing is getting done.
鈥�(The supervisors) are our government and they should be getting it taken care of.鈥�
Supervisor Tom Cesario said that before and since the June 9 meeting, the local officials have contacted various state agencies for assistance.
鈥淲e are very concerned and we have made that known to those residents,鈥� he said, adding that because East Crawford Avenue is a state-maintained road the township can only request improvements be made. 鈥淲e have had conversations with the Transportation Department and state police.鈥�
The township, he said, has requested additional patrols of the area be conducted by state police and that an actual speed study and right-of-way property survey be completed by the Transportation Department. Also a study of the number of vehicles that utilize the roadway has been requested by the township.
Cesario said that only one 30 mph speed limit sign in the area is obstructed by brush and speculates is not seen by most motorists.
鈥淭he township is not in a position to take any action along the state highway,鈥� said Cesario.
In a May traffic study completed by the Transportation Department, it was determined that the sight distance for the intersection exceeds the mandated 196 feet for the 30 mph roadway.
The study additionally indicated that the pine trees residents claim block their view are located within the state right-of-way.
A township request to meet and discuss the location of the trees with the property owner has gone unanswered, said Cesario.
鈥淭here is a safety issue at that intersection and we are doing our best to resolve it,鈥� he said.