As work winds down on traffic light and pedestrian improvements at nine downtown Latrobe intersections, the city plans to seek funding for another intersection upgrade, on the south end of Ligonier Street.
Final touches at the downtown intersections, including installing decorative thermoplastic crosswalks with a herringbone pattern, could extend into next week, public works director Scott Wajdic told city council Monday.
The new crosswalks are part of a $3.4 million PennDOT project that also includes updated traffic signals and curb ramps that comply with handicapped-accessible standards along Main and Depot streets where they intersect Jefferson, Ligonier and Alexandria streets, and along Ligonier at Weldon, Spring and Chestnut streets.
Councilman Jim Kelley asked if any precautions need to be taken when driving over the freshly installed crosswalks, including motorists who come into town on Saturday, for Independence Day activities the community is holding a day ahead of the holiday.
“There should be no issues,” city manager Michael Gray said of the crosswalks. “They hold up well. They’re a heavy duty design, what they’re using in Canada.”
Gray said he will seek council’s approval, at its July 12 meeting, to reapply for state funding of similar traffic signal and curb improvements at Ligonier Street and Avenue D. That intersection, at the entrance to the Carpenter Technology steel plant and the Lesco Federal Credit Union, sees increased traffic at certain times of the day. The signals at that location are suspended on cables and are among the oldest in the city.
He suggested reapplying for funding of the intersection upgrade through the state Automated Red Light Enforcement program. Latrobe’s initial application to the program last year wasn’t successful.
If the funding is approved, no local match would be required, Gray said.
ARLE funds were approved for installation of flashing school zone lights on streets surrounding Latrobe Elementary School. But, he said, installation hasn’t happened yet because of a delay in receiving needed project supplies.
