Residents in Butler and Armstrong counties call on leaders to make troublesome intersection safer
EAST FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP, Pa. (KDKA) — Road crews are looking to make a troublesome intersection on a major road between Butler and Armstrong counties a little safer.
Every time Luetta Reed approaches the intersection of Route 422 and Glad Run Road in East Franklin Township, her mind turns to her family.
"I lost my paternal grandparents in a crash there in 1965, and I lost my mother in a crash there in 1997," Reed said.
Both were hit by drivers of vehicles heading from Armstrong County to Butler County.
"It's frightening to use that intersection, and I won't use it going straight across anymore," she said.
Neighbors said there are occasional serious crashes at the intersection. Just last month, a 45-year-old woman died in a crash.
"It's the same problem today as it was back then," Reed said. "The traffic is speeding ... you can't see cars approaching from the westbound."
It's a concern shared by many in the community who came out Thursday evening to a PennDOT meeting. District executive Matthew Burkett said PennDOT was there to listen as it looks to make the intersection safer.
"There were some good suggestions from the crowd, actually a couple of things that we didn't even consider," he said.
PennDOT shared the recommendations of an outside group. In the short term, PennDOT proposed preventing drivers on Glade Run Road from turning left onto the highway or going straight across it. That idea brought concerns from many in attendance, including adding time to commutes.
"Beyond that and a deeper thought for me is the response times for emergency vehicles," neighbor Jeremy Deluca said.
DeLuca said it would add an extra 10-minute drive time to the hospital. He doesn't think enough crashes happen there for that to make sense.
PennDOT officials said reaction to the idea will be considered in the final decision.
"You gotta lower speed somehow," DeLuca said. "I don't know if I have the answer for that, but speed is the issue."
Some changes have already been made, but PennDOT said laws prevent a stoplight from being put in.
"It seems like every time the public had a recommendation or an option, it wasn't viable because of some of the issues with the state," DeLuca said.
There is no specific timeline for more changes. There could be additional public meetings.