Councilman Critical Of Jefferson Street Closure
M&B Services shut down South Jefferson Street yesterday, frustrating business owners along the street.
Kittanning Councilman David Croyle was shocked to find South Jefferson Street closed to traffic yesterday.
“There were no notices; no one came around and said ‘By the way, we have to close the street for a few hours’,” he told Senate Engineer Bill Braun.
The closure began at approximately 7AM and continued into the afternoon, essentially shutting off access to businesses along South Jefferson from Jacob Street to Market Street.
With a trench dug the entire way across South Jefferson Street, crews lay conduit lines that will carry utilities underground with Phase 2 of the Revitalization project is completed next year.
Braun said that a meeting held in the Armstrong County Planning and Development Office just 24 hours earlier on Tuesday, Contractor M&B Services was told they could not shut the street completely down. According to Braun, one lane of travel was to remain open throughout the day. M&B Services told Braun in an email that the street was closed because they felt it was safer for their men and the public and that the road was only closed for a “short period of time.”
Croyle requested that the “Road Closed” signs be moved to the north side of the municipal parking lot to allow for traffic to enter South Jefferson and exit through the parking lot and alley onto either Jacob or Market Streets. The signs were moved shortly after 11AM.
Croyle said he called Police Chief Bruce Mathews as well as Street Supervisor Jim Mechling about the closure. Both said that they had no prior knowledge about it until an early morning phone call from the contractor stating they were closing the road.
Mechling, who also attended the Tuesday morning meeting, said the discussion was centered around bagging parking meters on one side of the highway to allow for one lane of traffic.
Braun, in an email to Croyle, said M&B Services intends to close the road again today “for a few hours”, although the notification did not give a specific time frame.
Tune to WTYM AM 1380 for more information on the road closure throughout the day. Croyle will also discuss it this morning on the station’s Morning Show at 10AM. The station is also available on computer at wtymradio.com or via mobile devices by downloading the WTYM radio app.
Construction workers move the signs to the north side of the South Jefferson Street parking lot to allow for business traffic in the area.
Local News, Kittanning Borough | KP NewsDesk August 27, 2015
By ktown_kid, August 27, 2015 @ 8:07 AM
This town is run by a bunch of clowns with no respect towards business owner or its residents. Kudos to mechling for answering the phone, he actually done something for the day even though it was too much work to bag some meters.
By worthingtonman, August 27, 2015 @ 8:18 AM
Oh David so people would have to park on Market Street and walk a block. Get a grip man. How did this become a story? I am inconvenienced most every day in the name of progress. Seems to me there is ALOT more to get in an uproar about. Take the whole Water Street Fiasco! Maybe after a head on collision people will understand the craziness of the traffic pattern. I already had a near incident when someone parked in the travel lane .
By dcroyle, August 27, 2015 @ 8:40 AM
Sidewalks were shut down, so pedestrians have been trying to figure out where to walk. It IS a big deal to the business community. I listen to people fuss about not having businesses in downtown Kittanning, then think they should be inconvenienced and still be able to survive. This is a story because M&B Services failed to do what was agreed upon the day before.
I do agree with you on the South Water Street traffic pattern. Motorists are getting into the center lane to turn left too early and blocking the ability for southbound traffic to turn left onto Jacob Street (just one example). Yet, if the police sit there and hand out tickets to motorists that do not know how to drive properly, then once again Kittanning Borough is the “bad guy”.
By jorn jensen, August 27, 2015 @ 9:10 AM
Haven’t heard much about Water Street until this thread. I’ve driven it a number of times, I like it, haven’t had any near misses. The lines are clear and sharp - easy to read. What’s the fuss?
Now, if you want to discuss a goofy traffic pattern, drive up the Indiana Pike in the right lane and feel it disappear toward the new school. Per driving manuals, you’re supposed to drive in the right lane and pass in the left lane. This routing encourages drivers to drive in the left lane in order to go straight.
This is what makes drivers hate route 28 to Pittsburgh - disappearing lanes of travel. The goofiness starts up towards RIDC Park and then continues to the disappearing right lane down to Fox Chapel and one lane to Pittsburgh - then the disappearing lane to the Highland Park bridge and one lane to Pittsburgh.
David is correct - the contractor should ‘work with’ the town management to allow traffic flow as much as possible. If the road has to be closed, close it overnight and work under the lights - the day is more than 8 hours long.
By Just sayin, August 27, 2015 @ 10:12 AM
David: you don’t need to defend yourself
about what makes a news story. I agree; it is news.
It’s your paper. You can provide what news that you want. I don’t like how some of them are written, at times. But, thank GOD for freedom of the press!
And the PLEASANT , human-interest stories balance out the negative.
“Some people would complain if they had a loose noose.”
By ktown_kid, August 27, 2015 @ 7:03 PM
^Exactly right and I see the parking spots on water street will have meters. How much did tye boro pay for a traffic study? Common sense is free!!!
By Just sayin, August 27, 2015 @ 9:58 PM
I agree about the Water Street fiasco, Worthi and ktown.
That is a thoroughfare and who would be crazy enough to park on the side of the river near Subway?
Someone can get killed just crossing the road. In the early-morning darkness, it is very difficult to see people waiting to go across the crosswalk, especially in the fog.
People will be opening doors into the traffic or not using the crosswalks, etc.
It is just too congested there for parking.
And wait until school starts!
That is just a huge waste of money.
By bigjohn, August 28, 2015 @ 12:03 PM
S Water St is sooo much better now! Some people hate progress.
By Just sayin, August 29, 2015 @ 8:05 PM
bigjohn [Big John] (sing that):
We like progress. but we hate increased insurance premiums and people getting hurt.
By Just sayin, August 29, 2015 @ 8:07 PM
Hey, David! Why don’t you buy the Leader Times?!
Either that, or you’re going to have to fatten up the KP so we can get more local news.
Think about it.
By cementmixer, August 31, 2015 @ 1:48 PM
I just love all those comments by Jensen.It’s clear he knows a little about everything and nothing about a lot of things. I guess we’ll have to wait to see his reaction after that first snow and ice night/morning and he does a donut into the donut shop. With all his time and “expertise” you’d think he could save Ford City from Bartuccio and Miklos. And you’re right Just Sayin’, if David had the LT, we’d be getting news not history and some hardhitting editorials from someone who actually lives here not just the regurgitated news from the lower valley with a Ford City “circus” story thrown in.