BELLEFONTE — Bellefonte Borough is going to request PennDOT complete a traffic study for the busy intersection at Zion Road and South Parkview Boulevard. With its close location to Bellefonte Area High School and Interstate 99, the “dangerous” intersection has been a concern for residents and motorists alike for several years.
More than 200 citizens have signed a petition asking the borough to consider installing a traffic light at the intersection. The concerns grew louder with potential new developments planned near the intersection at the Bellefonte Armory and the land behind the high school.
Resident Bobbi Barnett is part of a group asking for the borough to consider the traffic light. She has spoken at recent borough council meetings about the impact traffic has on the area, especially during school hours.
In April, she told borough council, “There are six lanes of traffic coming into that intersection. I don’t know that there’s anywhere else in Bellefonte that has six lanes coming into an intersection without a traffic light. There’s a stop sign there, but there’s very high traffic there through the school hours.”
She said that many people won’t even use the intersection because of its dangerous layout. She is afraid someone is going to be “hurt or killed” if something isn’t changed.
Recent news that the nearby Bellefonte Armory will be developed into a brewery/restaurant added to the concerns. During a July 5 meeting, Barnett said she also recently learned the school is considering the land beside the high school as part of its new elementary school project, which only would add to the problems.
“That would add even more congestion to the area,” said Barnett. “This could be a game changer for increased traffic at this intersection and make it even more dangerous.”
In order to have PennDOT complete the traffic study, the borough has to commit to paying the estimated cost of $350,000 for the light, if it is determined to be warranted.
The borough was waiting until a developer submitted a plan for the Bellefonte Armory before approaching PennDOT in relation to the intersection because it said a traffic study would also need to be included in that plan.
“This isn’t an inexpensive project to just put out there. But if it is warranted, it is warranted,” said council President Randy Brachbill. “But as we heard, there are a few areas out there that make it a little impassable sometimes, whether it’s early in the morning or end of the day with work cars going through, adding traffic to High Steet and on the school street during school hours.”
He added that in the past, it was discussed that it was not fair to make the new owners of the armory foot the entire bill for the traffic light. He said he felt the light “would be truly warranted” if the school decided to build the elementary school on the property behind the high school.
“I know there are times that that light is warranted, but not all day long,” Brachbill said. “Once that other growth comes in, that will, I think, probably tip it.”
Council member Kent Bernier said the people who signed the petition deserve to have their voices heard.
“Not all of us go through that intersection every day, but 200 people came to us, and people have attended how may meetings?” asked Berner. “I am not willing to tell them to put if off to the fall or maybe next spring or maybe when they build the school.”
Council member Joanne Tost-Vasey asked to have the study done when school is in session and football games are going on, bringing more people to the area.
“The last time the study was done, PennDOT just came out and did it and it was late spring and it wasn’t warranted,” she said. “It could have been that if it was done at a different time, it could have been warranted.”
Borough Manager Ralph Stewart said he would ask PennDOT to complete the study during the time of the year with the most traffic.
“We want the most accurate traffic patterns and counts, so let’s try and do it during September when it is the busiest,” said Stewart.
He added that if the current study does not determine that a traffic light is warranted, development plans for the armory and potential elementary school would have to look at the issue again.
Council unanimously agreed to ask PennDOT to complete the study in September and October. If a traffic light is needed, council would then look for grants or other potential solutions to help cover the cost.
“We haven’t even found out if it is warranted, but we are making the commitment to find the money and if it is warranted, we’ll install it,” said council Vice President Doug Johnson.
This story appears in the July 14-20, 2022 edition of The Centre County Gazette.
