A remedy to combat speeding on Greensburg Road in Upper Burrell is on the way.
PennDOT officials approved reducing the speed limit from 55 to 45 mph in the 2200 block of Greensburg Road, or Route 366.
The township requested a traffic study after fielding complaints from neighbors who advocated for the reduction based on safety concerns and an increase in larger truck traffic.
Before PennDOT can adjust a speed limit, it must conduct a traffic study requested by a municipality. The Greensburg Road study was done at no cost to the township.
“If PennDOT decided it warrants a 10 mph reduction in speed, then it must,” said Ross Walker, chairman of the township’s board of supervisors.
“I guess the study was needed and, hopefully, that helps the situation.”
According to PennDOT, the change will lower the speed limit to 45 mph through Plum to Old Greensburg Road.
In some areas of Greensburg Road, the speed limit already is 45 mph.
The 45 mph speed “was determined based off an 85th percentile safe running speed study,” PennDOT officials wrote in a letter to township officials.
The 85th percentile speed refers to the speed at which 15% of traffic, on average, goes over the speed limit.
PennDOT officials told the township that new speed limit signs will be built by the agency “as soon as materials are available.”
Walker was not sure when that would occur.
