Mayor Tony Roppolo is taking steps to improve safety at a busy intersection in downtown Leechburg.
Roppolo met with PennDOT officials last week at the island intersection along Route 66 and Market Street.
On Monday, they notified Roppolo that the installation of a lighted yield sign was approved to replace the current sign.
“We have a lot of different traffic going in all directions here,” Roppolo said Monday while standing in the middle of the island next to the yield sign. “The worst part of the intersection is when strangers drive into the community, they come across the bridge and all of a sudden there are three different roads and a yield sign. Who do you yield to and which way do you go? It’s just a very confusing intersection.”
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, failure to yield is the fourth-leading cause of fatal crashes in the U.S.
To yield while driving is to let other drivers, cyclists and pedestrians have the right of way before proceeding.
Leechburg resident Sherry Jackson Price said the intersection has a history of close calls and wrecks.
She said she has witnessed at least three wrecks there and said fellow residents talk about other crashes that have occurred.
“Hopefully, drivers will pay closer attention with a new, more visible sign here,” Price said. “I’m pleased to see that something is finally going to occur to make this intersection safer. Kudos to Mayor Roppolo for taking the necessary steps.”
Roppolo said he has seen motorists drive through the yield sign without checking for opposing traffic or pedestrians.
“It created quite a problem for everyone. We have a lot of pedestrians in Leechburg, too, crossing Route 66 going to Market Street and beyond. Fortunately, the locals seem to be aware of all of this, but Route 66 is a heavily traveled road through Leechburg,” Roppolo said.
Leechburg police Chief Jason Schaeffer said the intersection has been problematic since he began working in the borough in 1996.
He said it’s good news that PennDOT and borough officials are doing something about it.
“It’s always been a bad intersection, and I’ve given citations to school buses driving through there,” Schaeffer said. “It’s a nightmare. Some people driving through there don’t understand what to do there.”
Leechburg Councilman D.J. Zelczak described the intersection as being sometimes confusing and difficult to navigate for motorists not familiar with the area.
“Improvements in design will be most welcome,” he said.
The new sign will feature flashing lights using a series of synchronized, high-intensity LEDs and reflective sheeting.
“It’s going to be much more visible and will ‘yell’ at the drivers coming off the bridge, and I want to reduce the chance of there being an accident,” Roppolo said.
The sign will be provided and installed by PennDOT, according to Daniel Tyger, traffic operations manager. He said the installation is expected to be completed by early summer.
The sign will be solar powered, Roppolo said.
“We won’t have to tunnel under the road to run electricity to the island, and we won’t have a monthly electric bill,” he said.
The borough will sign a maintenance agreement and be responsible for continued maintenance and providing batteries for the solar power after installation. That would be paid for with grant money from Armstrong County, according to Roppolo.
Roppolo said he also plans to have the faded “yield” pavement marking repainted.
