Residents Request Manor Township Traffic Signal
The Manor Township maintenance building (KP File Photo).
By Jonathan Weaver
While motorists and residents are still getting used to traffic changes at the Edgewood Intersection, Manor Township residents heard a request to install another traffic signal along Route 66.
Three residents came to last week’s monthly meeting and requested supervisors look into a traffic signal at an intersection about a mile-and-a-half away – the intersection with the hill at Fairground Road.
“There are a lot of people in Valley View and the other roads that have trouble coming out (onto Route 66),” the woman said. “They’re afraid to use that hill in the wintertime – it’s terrible.”
The woman and two other neighbors came to the meeting prepared with a petition signed by more than 100 people - including an active state police trooper – just last week.
“And we can get lots more names,” the trio said.
“It’s terrible when you’re turning toward Ford City.”
To turn toward Ford City, motorists would have to cross two lanes of highway while also looking out for high-speed traffic on Route 66.
The trio of women said even a caution light would be helpful.
The woman also contacted Senator Don White about the request. Manor Township supervisors were forwarded a response from PennDOT officials stating that a request must first be received from supervisors since they own, maintain and operate traffic signals in the municipality and agree to pay for design, construction and implementation if a signal is proper. PennDOT will evaluate the intersection after the request is made.
Terrace Avenue Resident Larry Cecchi opposed the request and suggested there would be more rear-end accidents due to the grade of the roadway.
Supervisors will consider the request, but asked that the woman get addresses from the residents that signed the petition.
The petitioning residents knew Kittanning resident Georgia Cornman – who died at a fatal car accident at the Riverside Intersection – which is about a half-mile from the Fairground Road intersection - while trying to make a left-hand turn onto Route 128 to drive into downtown Ford City.
Another resident had an idea for next year’s Trash Week that would benefit senior citizens. He suggested if senior citizens have hard-to-recycle garbage, it be collected by township employees once per week
Supervisor Chair James McGinnis said supervisors would consider the request based on interest from other residents, but many already receive the free assistance.
“If you’re older or disabled, we’ll pick it up,” McGinnis said.
Township Secretary Jill Davis fielded about a dozen pick-up requests during the fall Trash Week. With two dumpsters available, she said nobody was denied.
“When people call, I don’t ask how old they are of it they’re disabled,” Davis said. “You call me – you get (your trash items) picked up.”
Also, after the first frost of the year and freezing rain last week, Township Roadmaster Robert Southworth said township crews are nearly ready for winter maintenance.
“We have salt in, we have lots of ash. At the end of next week, we’ll have all our trucks ready,” Southworth said.
Southworth’s crew also has some guard rails to repair before winter hits.
He explained the crew just received a 24 ton-shipment of salt bringing the total available to 30 tons and have been stockpiling ash during the summer after not having to buy any ash for three years.
One truck is ready to spread ash if needed for emergency, but Southworth said streets are still too warm. Southworth has driven a snow plow for more than 30 years due to helping with his father, Gary – who operated G.E. Southworth Auto Sales and Service, Towing Service and Snow Plowing Service until Gary’s retirement in 1997.
“We can put our snow plows on in 10 minutes and be gone,” Southworth said – who will go into his second season as Roadmaster after Supervisor McGinnis retired at the end of calendar year 2013.
The crew not has five trucks capable of plowing and spreading material to melt ice. There are also five maintenance employees so each employee could be on the road at once since all are certified.
Supervisors unanimously agreed to purchase a 2015 Ford F-350 one-ton V8 truck for $8,900 through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania cooperative purchasing program, COSTARS, in April at Southworth’s request. At the time, he said the upgraded truck – bought from Tri-Star Motors in Blairsville, Pa. with General Fund dollars - would enable streets to be plowed faster.
Since Southworth would utilize the truck as his individual work vehicle and keep it in his home garage, he will also be able to provide maintenance to any evening events that might be needed.
By trading in the former silver 2012 half-ton pickup truck utilized for parts, supervisors received about $5,000 more as opposed to waiting another year.
The truck also carries a three-year, 36,000-mile warranty, as well as another five-year powertrain warranty regardless of what is hauled, and will help alleviate overtime expense.
Local News | jweaver November 10, 2014
By scoobydoo1961, November 10, 2014 @ 7:35 AM
I can totally understand the woman’s concerns to make it safer, HOWEVER….. they need to study the drivers that pull out in front of cars there. also as Larry Cecchi said that would make the hill worse because as people are coming from Kittanning or off of graff bridge that’s assanine to expect that. Because even if there was traffic light it would be just like the light at riverseide and people would run it when it’s yellow or even red. as to the comment about the woman dying at the riverside intersection I agree that’s a bad intersection as I just said and I feel bad for the woman’s family BUT.. the women failed to mention that it was that woman’s fault because she turned left on red light right in front of a coal truck!!!
By scoobydoo1961, November 10, 2014 @ 7:37 AM
how about if they’re that concerned maybe the twp could make it right turn only coming out of fairground road and if they’re that concerned go across fairground road and come out at the riverside light and go into ford city or up towards sheetz that way!!!
By jorn jensen, November 10, 2014 @ 8:01 AM
I don’t get it. If headed south on 66, use Piper over to Fort Run Road and out at the light at Riverside. If headed north on 66, use Fairground Road. Pretty easy.
The light at Riverside stops 4 lanes of downhill traffic at even the smell of a single distant car from Fort Run or Ford City.
Why spend more money on lights for more accidents, more sliding tires, more lost time and more wasted fuel?