Scranton officials outline $15.3 million Lackawanna Streetscape plan; council to vote next week on signal removals, two‑way conversions and parking changes

City engineers told the Scranton City Council they will begin a staged trial to remove some downtown traffic signals, install LED‑flashing stop signs, add painted and permanent bump outs, and convert selected one‑way streets back to two‑way traffic as part of the Lackawanna Streetscape project.

Engineer Riley, the project presenter, said the trial begins with advance notification and preparatory work at each intersection (crosswalk refresh, painted bump outs, temporary or permanent curb work). After preparatory work the stop signs with LED flashing perimeters will be uncovered and signals set to flash red. "We're gonna monitor it," Riley said, describing a monthly monitoring period after the flash‑red change; if no red flags appear the city may remove signals and continue at least a 60‑day monitoring period for intersections where signals are bagged and taken out of service.

The project budget is about $15.3 million, staff said; most of the funds are ARPA dollars and another funding component mentioned in the meeting requires a 50% match that the administration plans to meet using ARPA while it remains available. Staff warned the ARPA spending deadline in September 2026 makes the schedule tight and that substantive changes to the traffic proposal would require re‑submittal to PennDOT for new permits and could jeopardize funding.

Riley said the city’s traffic modeling showed benefits outside peak hours when signals that are not warranted are replaced with stop signs. The modeling reviewed signal warrants, levels of service and delay; the objective for peak hours is not to worsen current delays. Riley added that two‑way traffic also offers operational benefits for emergency response and bus routing, and that signal posts and equipment will be left in place so signals can be reactivated if the two‑way configuration causes problems.

Accessibility features are planned at signalized intersections, including high‑contrast crosswalk surfacing and audible devices. Riley described crosswalk materials similar to recent Broadway work and said staff are testing voice output options for unsignalized intersections. During the presentation staff noted curb cuts will be extended, bump outs will shorten crossing distances in many locations, and several vaults that prevent ADA‑compliant sidewalks will be modified or filled so through sidewalks meet accessibility grades.

Council members pressed staff on outreach and whether merchants had meaningful dialogue. Staff said about 62 businesses were contacted and Scranton Morrow and the chamber have been involved; several merchants provided support letters or acknowledged the project, others merely received notification. "We haven't had anyone that has objected," staff said, while noting some merchants said they had only been notified in the past and wanted more recent dialogue.

Council discussed an email from Keith Williams, who met with staff and advocates and wrote that while bump outs shorten crossings "in theory" he believes distances may still not be short enough to eliminate possible accidents. Staff said they have met with the Center for Independent Living and continue to address concerns.

Other project details discussed: roughly 24 drainage basins will need to be moved, sidewalks and curb ramps will be rebuilt in multiple locations (Linden, Biden, Mulberry, Jefferson and others), a missing lane on Jefferson between Linden and the expressway will be added, and a section of wall near a loading dock will be rebuilt. The administration said the streetscape work includes undergrounding some overhead utilities (green = already underground, red = planned undergrounding, blue = will remain overhead) and repair of vaults (for example adjacent to Bank Towers and Bridal Street) that will be filled with flowable concrete prior to new sidewalks.

Parking changes tied to the project are expected to yield a net increase of about 69–70 on‑street spaces. Council asked whether revenue from those spaces would reduce the city’s annual $250,000 subsidy to Grow America, the contract parking operator; staff said the city receives on‑street revenue and will check how any new revenue streams affect contractual payments.

Staff emphasized that some streets in the project—Biden from the expressway to Wyoming, parts of Adams Avenue, Linden and others—are PennDOT‑controlled and require PennDOT construction permits consistent with the proposed traffic changes. Staff warned that altering the traffic proposal would trigger additional traffic studies and PennDOT review, which could delay construction and jeopardize matching funds and ARPA timelines.

On voting, staff said the council will cast three separate votes next week: (1) removal of specified streetlights, (2) conversion of selected one‑way streets to two‑way traffic, and (3) parking changes tied to the project. Council members noted a discrepancy between a resolution listing seven streetlights and project maps showing 13 locations; staff explained multiple projects and legislative steps account for the difference.

Public safety officials at the meeting described crash data from the city showing severe collisions occur frequently at signalized intersections and argued slower speeds at stop‑controlled intersections generally reduce crash severity. Staff reiterated the project includes a trial period and local data will be collected and reported back to council for adjustments if necessary.

The briefing closed with staff reiterating outreach efforts, accessibility commitments and the need to secure permits and matches before final construction. Council scheduled the final votes for the next meeting.