Click here to subscribe today or Login.
By TONI COLEMAN tonic@leader.net
Wednesday, January 26, 2000 Page: 3A
WILKES-BARRE – Chalk one up for Mayor Tom McGroarty – a Federal Highway
Administration study shows he was right about the problem with the city’s
fouled-up traffic signals.
The federal agency conducted a study of the failed system in October and
concluded that the existing phone lines cannot handle data transmission to
operate the $1.2 million traffic signal system because the lines are
incompatible with the new technology.
The report recommends the installation of overhead fiber optic cables
wherever possible. McGroarty said he expects the federal government to pay for
repairs, but did not have an estimate. The Federal Highway Administration’s
Harrisburg office was closed early Tuesday for snow.
“As you may recall, I was criticized by stating the problem was with the
existing phone lines,” McGroarty wrote in a recent memo to City Council,
updating members on the status of the signal glitch. “As time goes on,
eventually, the truth comes out, and I am supported in my earlier statement.
“As the mayor, I have broad shoulders, and I’m prepared to get beaten up
politically when fighting for the common person,” McGroarty said.
McGroarty said in the memo that the federal government will pay for the
repairs to the computerized synchronization system, which was supposed to cut
air pollution by improving traffic flow. When the system was activated in
1998, the sensors couldn’t communicate with the central computer in City Hall.
“I have been patient and understanding as stated by (the federal highway
administration) but firm that the city will not pay one dime to fix this,” he
wrote. “I have protected the city treasury by being forceful and demanding
that this is fixed at no cost to the city.”
The new system instead slowed traffic by making some red lights longer,
which prompted McGroarty to switch back to the old system last fall.
The Highway Administration has scheduled a meeting with the city and
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation at 9:30 a.m. on Feb. 15 at City Hall
to discuss improvements to the system.
Call Coleman at 829-7236.