You know them, you hate them.
They are 45 of the most congested hotspots in Lackawanna and Luzerne counties, and they are the subject of a new study for a bi-county agency that looks at solutions, as well as how federal and state transportation dollars are spent.
Among them: Interstate 81, Viewmont Drive in Dickson City, North Keyser Avenue in Scranton, Highland Park Boulevard in Wilkes-Barre Township, and Wyoming Avenue in Kingston. (See a full list at the end of this story, and in the report.)
The recently adopted Lackawanna-Luzerne Transportation Study Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) report draws on responses from hundreds of people about the view from street-level.
"We surveyed the public in January. And as a result of that survey, we had over 600 respondents and well over 1,000 particular locations ... showing us, from the public's perspective, where they're experiencing traffic at key corridors and intersections," said Luzerne County Planning/Zoning Executive Director Matthew Jones.
The responses led to 1,600 pins and comments on an interactive map that can be found here.
The 19-member MPO committee overseeing the process included local and state officials. Harrisburg-based consulting firm Michael Baker International worked with the MPO to "boil down" the 1,000 locations cited by respondents into the 45 "most problematic" spots and compile the final report, Jones explained.
"We offer this study as a primer to get the conversation started or to restart the conversation on some of these intersections or corridors," Jones said.
In some cases, those conversations are already underway — with projects planned or begun by state or local government agencies — while others have not been addressed yet, Jones added.
Earlier this month, for example, state Department of Transportation officials in Dunmore discussed $276 million in new construction projects planned for the state's six-county northeast region this year, including some of the corridors named in the MPO study.
I-81 'particularly troublesome'
Interstate 81 was cited in the MPO survey for congestion at several locations in the two counties, but particularly so in Wilkes-Barre Township.
That "is one of the 45 corridors that came out as remaining particularly troublesome," Jones added.
It's also one of the roads that is already in line for improvements, though the upgrades will be years in the making.
As WVIA reported last month, PennDOT is planning a $350 million reconstruction of Interstate 81 through Luzerne County, which will widen the highway from two to three lanes and make other improvements on a 7.5 mile stretch roughly between the Nuangola and Highland Park Boulevard exits.
That stretch of the highway carries 32,000 vehicles each day, a third of which are trucks. Many of those trucks are traveling to and from the region's bustling warehouse and distribution sites.
PennDOT also plans a similar $500 million widening project of Interstate 81 between the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport in Avoca and Scranton, and Jones said the goal is to have both projects complete by 2033.
That will leave what Jones called "a doughnut hole" between Highland Park Boulevard and Avoca that will need to eventually be expanded from two to three lanes, "but I know that the state is focused on developing plans to widen that stretch," he added.
Having input from the MPO study will assist PennDOT not just with Interstate 81 work but other projects, the agency's District 4 spokesperson Jessica Ruddy said.
"Collaboration is the key to success, especially when it comes to planning for the future of transportation. The recent plan that was developed with input from transportation stakeholders and the public is a prime example of how working together can provide valuable insights into traffic trends," Ruddy said.
"This plan serves as a roadmap for future projects and will undoubtedly lead to more efficient, safe, and connected communities."
Other chokepoints
Some of the other chokepoints are closer to seeing a resolution.
Jones noted that Memorial Highway in Kingston Township was identified as a problem in the last MPO study nine years ago, "and it's still a problem."
But relief is in sight.
"Fortunately, we found out that PennDOT has been working with Kingston Township officials and they have a plan to better signalize the light cycles along Memorial Highway and they're hoping to have that project implemented by the end of August," Jones said.
While some corridors will ultimately require more extensive and expensive construction work, Jones pointed out that timing of traffic signals could offer more immediate relief in many places — again, the type of discussion MPO members hope the report will discuss.
"It's for the purpose of having a process in place for local governments to be able to wrap their heads around how they might address traffic corridors or intersections in their neighborhoods, in their jurisdictions," he said. "Maybe they're facing an issue that's not one of the 45 spots that we highlighted in the report, but this report will give them some food for thought as to how they might consider addressing the other spots that they're facing."
Kristin A. Magnotta, director of the Lackawanna County Department of Planning and Economic Development, called the MPO's report "an important step in identifying heavily congested traffic areas within the two counties."
“Through a public survey, I-81, PA 309, and PA 315, were just a few of the roads identified with the ‘worst’ traffic congestion due to issues such as high volume of vehicle traffic, poor road design or layout, inefficient traffic signal timing, driver behaviors, and construction, to mention a few," Magnotta said.
"The purpose of this study is to identify issues of congestion for future traffic and transportation projects in order to mitigate accidents and near accidents, to keep drivers, passengers, pedestrians and bikers safe,” she added.
LIST OF CONGESTION HOTSPOTS
These are the 45 locations from the MPO report, listed by county and then alphabetically by municipality. They are not ranked.
Lackawanna County
- Clarks Green
South Abington Road - Clarks Summit
South State Street – Northern Boulevard - Dickson City
Commerce Boulevard – Ravine Street intersection
Scranton-Carbondale Highway
Viewmont Drive – Main Street intersection - Dunmore
Blakely Street – O’Neill Highway - Jefferson Township
Mount Cobb – Moosic Lake intersection - Jessup
Constitution Avenue - Moosic
Interstate 81
Birney Avenue - Moscow
South Main Street - Old Forge
South Main Street - Olyphant
West Lackawanna Avenue – South Valley Avenue - Scranton
Davis Street
Moosic Street – Meadow Avenue
Mulberry Street – Jefferson Avenue
North Main Avenue
North Keyser Avenue
South Washington Avenue – East Elm Street - South Abington Township
Interstate 81 - Taylor
North Main Avenue
Luzerne County
- Dallas Borough
Memorial Highway - Dallas Township
PA 309 – Hildebrandt Road intersection - Fairview Township
PA 309 - Forty Fort
Rutter Avenue
Wyoming Avenue – Welles Street intersection - Hanover Twp – Wilkes-Barre City
Carey Avenue - Hazle Township
Can Do Expressway - Hazleton
North Church Street
West Broad Street - Kingston Borough
Wyoming Avenue - Kingston Township
Memorial Highway - Larksville-Plymouth
East Main Street - Nanticoke
East Main Street - Pittston City
South Main Street
South Township Boulevard – William Street intersection - Pittston Township
Chestnut Street – Oak Street intersection - Plains Township
Kidder Street
South River Street - West Pittston
Fort Jenkins Bridge – Exeter Avenue intersection - Wilkes-Barre City
River Street
Wilkes-Barre Boulevard - Wilkes-Barre Township
Highland Park Boulevard
Interstate 81
Wilkes-Barre Township Boulevard
