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Tuesday, February 08, 2000 Page: 9B
WILKES-BARRE – The traffic signal at the intersection of Park Avenue and
Lehigh Street was in the process of being repaired before a car accident
Monday morning, Mayor Thomas McGroarty stated in a press release.
City officials suspect someone intentionally damaged the signal and police
are investigating.
As of Monday evening, police had not released information about the
accident.
A crew from Northeast Signal Co. was working on a nearby signal on
Thursday, the same time a city engineer noticed the red signal visor was
damaged on the northbound red light at Park Avenue and Lehigh Street.
It was determined that neither the city nor Northeast Signal had the
correct parts to repair this older, four-sided signal. The city engineer gave
Northeast Signal the approval to order the needed parts.
McGroarty said Park Avenue is a state highway and urged the Pennsylvania
Department of Transportation to update the signal.
Dave Krisanda, a PennDOT spokesman, said municipalities are responsible for
traffic signal maintenance. If the city wants the four-sided signal replaced,
Krisanda said McGroarty must get funding approved through the Transportation
Improvement Plan or pay for it with city funds.
As a temporary safety precaution, stop signs have been installed at Park
Avenue and Lehigh streets. Police Chief William Barrett reminds motorists that
they are required to treat a malfunctioning or non-operational traffic signal
just like a stop sign.