North Huntingdon to ask for 'no left turns' on Route 30 from 3 streets

North Huntingdon officials will ask PennDOT for permission to prohibit left turns onto Route 30 from three township streets.

The commissioners Wednesday approved a request to PennDOT officials in Uniontown to post “no left turn” signs at Cherry, Shrader and Soltis lanes because of inadequate site distances for motorists making those turns across the two eastbound lanes. Westmoreland County is part PennDOT’s District 12-0, based in Uniontown.

Robert Robinson, the township’s interim engineer, determined the site distances from the three lanes was inadequate.

A PennDOT spokesman last month said the state would not take any action to install “no left turn” signs unless requested by North Huntingdon.

Township Manager Jeffrey Silka described the signs as a “temporary measure” because PennDOT’s plans to improve Route 30 include placing a Jersey barrier along the center of the highway. That would prevent vehicles crossing the eastbound lanes to travel westbound, making the road road safer.

The issue arose last month when a petition signed by a group of about 15 Cherry Lane residents suggested that a traffic detecting device, known as an intersection conflict warning system, be installed to warn of the Route 30 traffic nearing the intersection because the topography at that site limits motorists’ vision of oncoming traffic. The proposed signal would turn red for motorists traveling from Cherry Lane to warn them of the oncoming vehicles, while not impeding the flow of traffic on Route 30.

In December 2018, the Cherry Lane intersection was the site of a fatal crash that killed one man.

Installing “no left turn” signs probably would be “the easiest fix right now,” Silka said. The township would avoid paying $100,000 or more for the traffic control device, township officials said.

Mike Turley, township assistant manager, previously told the commissioners there are several intersections along Route 30 that have similar site problems.