Traffic changes are causing some concern and curiosity about the future of traveling through downtown Scranton.
SCRANTON, Pa. — The city of Scranton is changing major traffic patterns at more than a dozen intersections across the downtown’s footprint.
The most prominent are seen around Courthouse Square.
“It’s going to, I hope it’s done by Christmas time because the tour people don’t want to be, like, trapped up and down the traffic,” said William Nolan, of Scranton.
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New bump-outs, flashing red lights, and two lanes merging to one, the first stage of a transition nearly a decade in the making, the city says, will make the downtown better for traffic that goes on two feet instead of just four wheels.
On Wednesday, we found drivers sounding off about the changes.
“It’s a little chaotic because it’s just blinking lights and people don’t, don’t know who’s got the right way to go. I would say that would be the major thing today,” said Jason Graham. Graham of Honesdale is one of downtown’s many delivery drivers; his main concern is for those crossing the street. “It’s a big change, so it’s gonna throw people off that are used to the old system, you know what I mean?”
Dropping off hundreds of packages a day, Howard Walker calls these current and looming changes a ‘nightmare.’ “Where are we going to park now? When it was a one-lane, one-way, at least if we double-parked, they could go around us and get in the other lane. Now you got traffic coming in two different directions with nowhere to pull off.”
City officials say loading zones and pedestrian safety are continuing to be monitored throughout the transitional period.
DaVinci Pizza owner Tyler Connor says the new sidewalks outside his business allow for more outdoor dining opportunities. “Someone came in today, though. They said they never went through downtown like as fast as they did today with the stop signs, so hopefully that’s good, making it easy access in and out.”
Connors is worried about food deliveries for his business and the potential for issues in an already congested part of the city. “I’m hoping it works out well. I’m concerned about the parking, making sure there’s enough parking here and that our deliveries and people coming to pick up food will, you know, still have access to that during the two-way streets.”
The streetscape changes will go into effect in stages over the next few months.