Traffic changes coming to Scranton starting Monday include stop signs replacing several traffic lights and later one-way streets changing to two-way

The city will begin a 90-day plan on Monday to transform several intersections to increase traffic flow and protect drivers & pedestrians

SCRANTON, Pa. — In downtown Scranton, drivers are used to stoplights at most intersections, but that will change beginning on Monday.

The city will begin a 90-day project involving removing stoplights at 13 downtown intersections, replacing them with flashing red signals and installing new stop signs.

Following a 30-day testing period of the new intersections, the project will continue by removing or bagging the red flashing signals and turning certain one-way streets into two-way streets.

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Downtown businesses worry that customers already have a hard time finding parking, and a two-way street may make it even harder to find a spot.

“Maybe it’ll bring more customers, making it a two-way street. I do find it difficult for the parking,” says Floriana Adragna, co-owner of Spin & Savory in downtown Scranton.

“That may be more harder for customers to find parking because the streets are really smaller here,” says Genesis Vega of 3 Tiers Bakery.

The city says the project aims to improve traffic flow and make intersections safer.

Some businesses fear that a further lack of parking would lead to fewer customers entering their doors.

“Maybe we see lower foot traffic here,” says Vega.

“It may bring more people passing by, but I’m not sure about people actually stopping,” says Adragna.

For pedestrians, some see the plan as a way to keep streets safe.

“I think it’s going to be a transition, but I think overall it’s going to be really nice for the city,” says Erica Nealon of Scranton.

“A lot of people have a hard time driving on these roads just because of them not being two-way, so I think that a lot of these streets would be a lot safer and a lot better for people like me walking around the street,” says Jacob Kannard of Scranton.

City officials say two-way conversions on the remaining sections of the affected one-way streets will take place after upgrades to the traffic signals at those intersections early next year.

The planned intersections to have their stoplights replaced with flashing red signals and to have stop signs installed starting October 19th include:

· Franklin Avenue at Biden Street

· Biden Street and Penn Avenue

· Biden Street and Wyoming Avenue

· Franklin Avenue at Linden Street

· Linden Street and Penn Avenue

· Linden Street and Wyoming Avenue

· Linden Street and North Washington Avenue

· Linden Street and Adams Avenue

· North Washington Avenue and Vine Street

· Vine Street and Adams Avenue

· Penn Avenue at Vine Street

· Vine Street and Jefferson Avenue

· Olive Street at Jefferson Avenue

The one-way streets that plan to have sections transformed into two-way following the 30-day transition phase include:

· Biden Street, from Wyoming Avenue to Franklin Avenue

· Linden Street, from Penn Avenue to Jefferson Avenue

· Adams Avenue, from Linden Street to Mulberry Street

· North Washington Avenue, from Olive Street to Mulberry Street