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s e r v i n g tay l or , ol d f or g e , moosic & surrounding areas triborobanner.com | nov. 17, 2016
St. Michael’s Church celebrated its 125th anniversary |PaGe 3
Scenes from Old Forge’s end-of-season loss to Susquehanna |PaGe 6
Meet the Old Forge High School Homecoming Court |PaGe 7
Hit tHe Brakes!
A newly installed crosswalk isn’t getting attention By Josh McAuliffe
special to the Triboro Banner When the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation finished its bridge rehabilitation project on Main Street in Moosic, it installed a new crosswalk in the heavily trafficked area at the intersection of Main and Park streets. Now, the challenge is getting motorists to slow down and recognize it. Last week, PennDOT collaborated with Moosic borough to install bright yellow temporary pedestrian signs on each side of the crosswalk. The decision came after PennDOT District 4 regional press director James May was contacted by Heather Tecson, whose mother, Susan Jones, owns Delia’s Primitives Gift Shoppe & Lunch Stop on Main Street. The business, which has been in the family since 1902, has been extremely busy since it reopened its doors on Nov. 1. Because the crosswalk is also heavily used by parents and children heading to the nearby bus stop and the Itsy Bitsy Bookworms daycare, “PennDOT wanted
to do what we could to ensure the safety of the residents of Moosic,” May said. “Heather said that after we finished the bridge and installed the new crosswalks on Main Street, there have been issues with drivers not stopping for pedestrians in the crosswalk,” May said. “She’ll stand out there with her four kids and try to cross, and people don’t stop.” “We cross the street twice a day for the bus stop. People fly down Main Street and don’t obey the 25 miles-per-hour speed limit,” said Tecson, who has a 5-year-old, 4-year-old twins and a 3-year-old. “The cars are flying by and I don’t even want to try to get them across the street until they pass.” After his discussion with Tecson, May contacted Joe Dente, Moosic Borough Council President, and the two decided to install the pedestrian signs. Their first inclination was to put permanent signs there, but in the end they decided on the flexible temporary signs, May said. One of the signs was already hit by a car, but not damaged due to its flexibility. “We talked to a lot of residents, and many of them didn’t know the crosswalk was there,” May said. “People have been driving through there for 30, 40 years, and now the crosswalks are there and they just didn’t notice them.”
Moosic residents are hoping a new crosswalk will be noticed.
“We hope that by placing these pedestrian signs in the road on each side of the crosswalk,” May added, “it will draw attention to the fact that the crosswalk is there, and remind motorists it is a state law that they must stop for pedestrians in a crosswalk.” Indeed, the penalty for failing to yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk carries a $50 fine, plus costs and two points on one’s driver’s license, May said. So far, some motorists are noticing the signs and stopping, although others
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continue to fly through, Tecson said. “Hopefully, the signs will alert people to be more cautious,” she said. The crosswalk will be monitored by the Moosic Police Department. If the signs don’t end up working, the department may have to do further speed enforcement, according to May. “It’s just an issue of awareness,” May said “Hopefully this will draw some awareness and get people to slow down as they drive through there. And realize that this is the law.” 1313 Wyoming Ave., Exeter
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