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Five Crashes in 24 Hours Spur Changes

LUZERNE COUNTY — PennDOT crews unload a new sign along Route 309 in Luzerne County. The goal is to get drivers to use caution and slow down. “It is ...

LUZERNE COUNTY -- PennDOT crews unload a new sign along Route 309 in Luzerne County.
The goal is to get drivers to use caution and slow down.

"It is hard to stay at 45 miles an hour," said Tony Brennan of Luzerne. "Because you feel like a turtle, a snail."

After months of construction in the area known as "The Notch" all lanes are back open, and many drivers seem to be responding by putting the pedal to the metal.

"We have been getting reports of people going upwards of 90 miles an hour, down this hill, which has a 45 mile per hour speed limit," said James May of PennDOT.

PennDOT spokesperson James May said since construction work wrapped up in early January there have been nearly a dozen crashes on Route 309 and said the road's new look may be part of the problem.

"I think that what is happening is that people are coming over the mountain and they see this nice big wide open area, and they thinking about work, thinking about getting to school, whatever it is, and they are literally flying down the mountain," said May.

Officials decided to install a sign after a string of five crashes in less than 24 hours.

Along with the sign, police from Hanover Township are on patrol looking for speeders to ticket

"As soon as you start going down the mountain people are passing, very quickly, they are really speeding it is very upsetting, " said Cathy Hannis of Mountain Top.

She hopes the blinking sign and police lights will get drivers to slow down

"They did all the work to make it more safe, and now they are going faster because they feel that they can, and it's not right."

The plan is to have the Hanover Township Police out there for several days.

PennDOT said most of the recent crashes along Route 309 were not caused by ice or snow.

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