Board considers corridor traffic study after turning-arrow request on Freeport Road

The Harrison Township Board of Commissioners debated a request for a turning arrow from northbound Freeport Road onto Veterans Lane by the YMCA and whether the township should study Freeport Road as a corridor rather than treating each intersection separately.

Resident David Hester requested the specific turning arrow. Manager Amy Rockwell said PennDOT has separately reviewed the intersection near the War Memorial and the pedestrian crosswalk but recommended the township commission a corridor traffic study to address signal timing, pedestrian safety and lighting. Rockwell told the board the township would need to prepare an RFP for a traffic engineer because the township’s current engineer, NIRA, does not provide corridor traffic studies. "The state will respond that the Township must complete a traffic study," Rockwell said, adding that a corridor approach could identify timing coordination that might reduce unsafe driving behaviors.

Commissioner James Erb said crosswalk upgrades would be worthwhile. Commissioner Eric Bengel said he was not convinced changes were needed at Veterans Lane because he drives the route daily, while Commissioner Charles Dizard said he favored a signal at Veterans Lane. The board agreed that advertising an RFP for a traffic engineer and placing that RFP on Monday's agenda was a reasonable next step.

If the RFP proceeds, the selected consultant would estimate the cost of a timing study, review safety and lighting, and provide a plan the township could use to seek grant funding for implementation.