Residents raise traffic-safety concerns on North Sycamore; borough to commission traffic study

A Clifton Heights resident told council that vehicles frequently exceed the 20 mph limit on North Sycamore Street and described multiple collisions, including two incidents in the past seven months that damaged his car.

Resident Elliot Jones (214 North Sycamore Street) asked for traffic calming measures, citing hurried drivers, buses and construction traffic on the narrow residential street. Council members and borough staff said they have raised the issue previously and will take further steps.

Council and staff said borough engineer JP Kelly will conduct or commission a traffic study for the corridor prior to the school opening and again after the school is in session to measure traffic patterns and speed. Officials discussed several mitigation options including delineators, a “pork chop” island at the school exit to force a right turn, widening the approach in the borough’s right-of-way where feasible, and installing speed humps (a lower-profile measure more compatible with snow plowing) if state PennDOT spacing rules allow.

Officials said they have already reached out to neighboring jurisdictions and county health/public-works staff about related debris and dumping on the hill that may lie outside borough limits. Borough staff committed to follow up with the resident and to report findings of the traffic study at a future meeting.