Bunola River Road Reopens After PennDOT Installs Permanent Traffic Light
FORWARD TOWNSHIP, Pa. (KDKA) - Bunola River Road in Forward Township is back open after drivers running a temporary traffic light forced PennDOT to close the road and put in place a winding eight-mile detour.
Bunola River Road went down to one lane after a landslide in June of 2018. Temporary traffic lights were put up, but last month PennDOT said people weren't adhering to those, so the road was shut down completely.
Local drivers were frustrated, telling KDKA the solar-powered lights would go out and start blinking.
PennDOT said the blinking wasn't due to a loss of power, but it was what would happen when someone ran a red light. Once the blinking started, it had to be manually reset.
Now, permanent traffic lights will be installed. PennDOT says these lights will use radar, which is "highly reliable" and not affected by lighting patterns or weather conditions. Drivers shouldn't expect more than a 60-second wait.
PennDOT says they will also work with local departments to make sure drivers are following the light. In a press release, PennDOT says they "will not hesitate" to shut the road back down if any motorists start running the light again.
