Mar 3, 2018 2 min read

North Strabane Township will be getting new traffic lights in three locations along Route 519 as part of the state Department of Transportation’s road-widening project.

Two of the lights will go at both the northbound and southbound ramps for Interstate 79.

“Those ramps do back up,” township Manager Frank Siffrin said. “The traffic at rush hour often backs up onto the interstate. These signals will alleviate some of that traffic.”

The township Tuesday approved the maintenance of the lights after PennDOT installs them.

PennDOT’s project manager, Nancy Kolenc, said the road-widening project will cover about 1.5 miles, running from the I-79 ramps at Route 519 to the intersection with Route 980 and the Route 19 ramps near the park-and-ride lot. The project will add a two-way turning lane on Route 519, with a designated left turn at traffic signals.

“The average daily traffic on that roadway is about 16,000 vehicles,” Kolenc said. “We’re hoping the traffic signals will alleviate traffic backing up on the ramps.”

She said PennDOT will be adding lanes on the ramps because there is limited sight distance.

The third light will go at the intersection with Route 980 and the Route 19 ramps.

“There’s a lot of traffic up in that area,” Kolenc said. “That particular intersection, at one time, only had two stop signs. Because of crash history, they put in all-way stop signs.”

Kolenc said PennDOT did a traffic signal analysis to see if the intersection needed a light, and according to the analysis, it does.

Construction for the project will be contracted out in the fall, Kolenc said. Over next winter, trees will be cut and a water line will be installed. Kolenc said the project will take two construction seasons, in 2019 and 2020.