Road Task Force talks upcoming projects, safety

During the county’s Road Task Force meeting on Sept. 19, participants heard about the latest road projects around the area. PennDOT has had one of its busiest years, with several completed projects and a number of projects that are nearing completion in the next few months. These include the paving and painting of Route 2001 between Milford and Route 739, as well as the rehabilitation of 5.59 miles on State Route 447 in Green Township, and the paving of State Route 590 in Lackawaxen Borough, although additional tree trimming is set to begin October 1.

Other future work includes a cable median barrier along sections of Route 84 in Westfall and Milford that will span 4.45 miles. Road improvements on Route 739 from Valley Road to Route 6 in Blooming Grove Township should be completed next summer. The project was proposed in anticipation of increased truck traffic and will include widening of the shoulder, milled edge line rumble strips, and improving existing drainage.

The Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance (NEPA) designated by the commonwealth as the Metropolitan Planning Organization is hoping to create an active transportation plan within the counties of Carbon, Monroe, Pike, and Schuylkill. Active transportation is anything self-powered, such as walking, biking, etc. There will be an Active Transportation LTAP (Local Technical Assistance Program) meeting at 32 Commercial Street in Honesdale on November 12 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Registration is required to attend.

Matamoras shares in Milford’s woe and worries about pedestrian safety. Missing sidewalks, unsafe intersections, and poor accessibility for those with disabilities are issues shared by the municipalities. Matamoras Borough Council President Eric Kudrich has been waiting for about a year to be given a grant to fix said sidewalks, but the grant was denied. Both municipalities will be sending out a survey to hear from the public about concerns, questions, and suggestions on how to make both of their towns safer for pedestrians, who have the right of way, but seldom feel safe to do so.

Now that texting and driving is illegal statewide, some hope that drivers will pay closer attention in sharing the roads, lest they be ticketed. Eight out of 10 municipalities in Pike County are struggling with similar issues regarding the safety of their citizens. There was a suggestion that the county buy a traffic message board that could be rotated between the municipalities as needed, but no further comment was made. Milford Borough Council president Joseph Dooley has stated that the speed limit signs that were recently installed near the Waterwheel Café on Route 2001 and Route 6 near Key Food have significantly slowed traffic, but not enough. He believes more can be done.