Scranton plans to seek a $269,400 state grant to upgrade traffic warning lights at six fire stations throughout the city.
Upgraded warning lights would improve traffic and pedestrian safety in the areas of the stations when firefighters are responding to or returning from incidents, Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti said in an announcement of the grant application.
The stations selected are in areas of high traffic and pedestrian activity, including:
• Fire Headquarters, 518 Mulberry St.
• Station No. 2, 500 Gibbons St., with warning lights located on Pittston Avenue.
• Station No. 4, 1047 N. Main Ave.
• Station No. 6, 940 Wyoming Ave.
• Station No. 7, 1917 Luzerne St.
• Station No. 8, 205-207 W. Market St.
Firetrucks exiting these facilities must merge directly into moving traffic, creating potential safety conflicts, specifically during emergency response situations when timing is critical, according to a grant resolution pending before Scranton City Council.
Activated when emergency vehicles are exiting or returning to a station, warning lights alert motorists and pedestrians of approaching Fire Department vehicles and reduce the risk of collisions. Warning lights provide a visible and immediate alert to approaching motorists, improving driver awareness and compliance while enhancing safe passage for emergency vehicles, the legislation said.
On Tuesday, Scranton City Council unanimously introduced the resolution to authorize the city to seek the Multimodal Transportation Fund grant through the state Department of Transportation. Council President Tom Schuster and members Patrick Flynn, Mark McAndrew, Sean McAndrew and Jessica Rothchild all voted in favor of introducing the resolution. It would come back before council for a vote on adoption at council’s next meeting Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall.
“This application continues our efforts to improve emergency response times and driver and pedestrian safety,” Cognetti said in a statement. “By prioritizing fire stations in high traffic areas, we can help first responders reach emergencies safely, and faster, while simultaneously protecting residents traveling throughout the City.”
Scranton Fire Department Headquarters in Scranton, Pa, on Wednesday Nov 16, 2022.
The Scranton Fire Department’s Engine 2 Fire Station at 500 Gibbons St. in South Side on Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)