EASTON, Pa. — On July 26, residents near 10th and Ferry streets witnessed a vehicle collision.
It wasn't a rare occurrence, and it was enough for some locals to ask city Councilman Frank Pintabone what could be done for a stretch of road that had proven to be dangerous.
Being that a sizable length of 10th Street goes without stop signs, the solution seemed simple enough: Put signs at intersections, such as at Ferry Street.
"And then, if necessary, we'll try and implement some traffic calming measures or see what we can do to alleviate any problems.”Easton Public Works Director Dave Hopkins
But first, Pintabone had to reach out to city Public Works Director Dave Hopkins, who explained it isn’t quite that easy.
First, the Department of Public Works had to put out a “black box” — a device that records traffic data at a fixed location for a specific duration of time.
“The radar unit we use is very accurate, and it records the number of vehicles, their speed, their direction of travel, and it just gives us data on how drivers are behaving at a certain location,” Hopkins said.
“So usually we'll use that data, and then we'll look at the intersection crash history, and then see if there's any type of visual obstructions or something that may be contributing to issues.
"And then, if necessary, we'll try and implement some traffic calming measures or see what we can do to alleviate any problems.”
Methods to reduce speed
As for simply adding a sign? Well, that’s not just in the cards, Hopkins said, being that Pennsylvania doesn’t have a great toolbox when it comes to traffic control.
“We will sometimes paint blinds; we've used driver feedback displays. But the [Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways] does not allow a STOP sign to be used just to control speed."Dave Hopkins, Department of Public Works Director
“We will sometimes paint blinds; we've used driver feedback displays," Hopkins said.
"But the [Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways] does not allow a stop sign to be used just to control speed."
Hopkins said the city must meet a set of warrants to justify a traffic sign, such as detailing the volume of vehicles that pass the area, that then must be analyzed to determine if a sign is the right solution.
Sometimes, even putting up a sign doesn’t work.
“Studies have found that stop signs can increase the incidences of rear-end collisions," Hopkins said. "People tend to drive faster between stop signs."
That’s not to say they're useless: Pintabone pointed out an incident in which a citizen reached out to him — saying he has helped conduct about seven traffic studies, mostly in the West Ward and South Side since he took office — which led to the speed sign on Centre Street.
'Helped a lot of people'
Pintabone acknowledged a Facebook post from July 29 in which Beth Freeman publicly commended him, saying the change "has helped a lot of people."
“I'd like to thank Frank Pintabone for facilitating the addition of these speed signs on Centre St between Berwick and Line, one in each direction," Freeman said in the post.
"I've watched many vehicles slow down as they are reminded they are speeding, like this SCHOOL BUS! Thanks Frank!”
“There was an abundance of trucks doing six and seven miles an hour for the paving, so it was just bad data altogether."Dave Hopkins, Department of Public Works Director
Pintabone said additional line painting may be done in that area to facilitate slowdowns.
The presence of law enforcement is one viable standard for decreasing traffic speeds, though it is dependent upon how many Easton Police Department units can be out at once hitting the areas where speeding and other traffic violations are an issue.
When it comes to 10th and Ferry, however, there was a slight hiccup in data collection: Nearby construction vehicles engaged in roadwork were throwing off the figures.
“There was an abundance of trucks doing six and seven miles an hour for the paving, so it was just bad data altogether,” Hopkins said.
He said the box was removed from the site and reinstalled after construction was finished.
'Someone is going to die'
When the data was pulled from the box, Hopkins and Pintabone were relatively surprised to find very few incidents.
According to Pintabone, data from the black box showed 8,123 vehicles were analyzed passing that location Aug. 7-12, with 85% of those driving at 28 mph or slower, and most traveling at 21 mph.
That isn’t to say there aren’t any speeders: at least one vehicle was tracked at 59 mph.
“We do have a lot of kids in that area that ride on their bikes. And coming down on 10<sup>th</sup> and going up, when I say they drive up and down that street, I mean they drive like it’s [Route] 22, like you’re on the highway.Resident Denise Jones
Denise Jones said she has witnessed several near collisions along 10th Street, to the point where she anticipates a major accident, or possibly even a fatality, if nothing is done.
“We do have a lot of kids in that area that ride on their bikes," Jones said. "And coming down on 10th and going up, when I say they drive up and down that street, I mean they drive like it’s [Route] 22, like you’re on the highway.
"You could do a good 40, 50 miles per hour… It just seems like you’re on the highway. You’ve got to take your time coming across the street because when you’re coming down around the corner, you don’t know if you’re going to get hit.
"Somebody is always speeding. Someone is going to die, definitely.”
The biggest danger for those cross streets along 10th Street may be rolling stops, Pintabone said, and police have been warned about it.
Plans may include increased police presence and patrols, though the use of radar as an enforcement tool is prohibited by regulations.
To keep improving traffic safety, Pintabone said, residents should continue to voice safety concerns to him and the city government, who will in turn take steps to mitigate danger.
It may not be as easy as throwing a stop sign up, but at the very least, it could help save some lives.
