Traffic commission hears neighborhood concerns; Hartman Run crossing remains aspirational

Caitlin Lewis, Community Development Services Coordinator with the Department of Development Services, told the Morgantown Traffic Commission she has attended two neighborhood association meetings so far and that residents raise “traffic related things, crosswalks, signage,” as recurring concerns.

Lewis said the Jerome Park meeting brought up a desire for a crossing that would connect the neighborhood to nearby retail, and that a regional DOT traffic study contains some data for the general area where Deckers Creek Boulevard meets other arterials. She said she did not find evidence that residents had filed a formal request through the city’s 311 system for the Hartman Run/Powell Avenue crossing and described the idea as aspirational at this stage.

Commission members reviewed the project’s history in regional planning documents. A member of the commission said the crossing idea appeared on the MMMPO project list and as one of the “Baker’s Dozen” priorities in the 2020 Regional Bike Ped Plan. That plan recommended a range of interventions, from a surface crossing with a rectangular rapid-flashing beacon and median island to, more aspirationally, a pedestrian bridge connecting Paul Preserve Park to the Decker Street Veil Trail.

Commissioners cautioned that the crossing location is on a state route and that the city does not control state highway right-of-way. “We should remind everybody…that is a state route and so the city has no direct authority,” said Chair Brennan. Commissioners said earlier commitments at the Department of Highways (DOH) central planning office had not always been carried through at the district level, and staff noted that the specific staff contact who had supported the concept has since moved from the DOH.

Members said the neighborhood associations Lewis visited — including Jerome Park and the Walnut/Greenmont groups — are likely to focus on hyper-local traffic issues such as crosswalk placement and signage. Lewis said she will continue to attend neighborhood meetings on a rotating basis to gather localized concerns for the commission and city staff.

Commissioners discussed next steps: documenting existing regional planning references, confirming whether residents file formal 311 requests, and identifying which elements (sidewalk connectors, signalized crossings, or a bridge) are funded or feasible with DOH, MMMPO and city resources. No formal motion or vote was recorded on the crossing or on pursuing a specific design.