x
Breaking News
More () »

Changes Coming to Intersection

LAFLIN — A crash Wednesday night in Luzerne County at a notorious intersection sent one person to the hospital in serious condition. Officials have been p...

LAFLIN -- A crash Wednesday night in Luzerne County at a notorious intersection sent one person to the hospital in serious condition. Officials have been planning to install a traffic light at the intersection near Pittston, but it won't happen for a few years.

Big changes to the intersection are planned, but many people hope the improvements come much sooner than promised.

Photos from the Laflin Fire Department show the latest collision on Route 315 and Pittston Avenue involving a tractor-trailer. The driver was taken to a nearby hospital in serious condition after officials had to cut open his car to rescue.

This is the 17th crash here just in the last five years.

"I've seen other crashes there. It's highly congested," said Arlene Sakowitz-Norton.

"I've had problems down here. I've seen people cut in front of you, they don't care," added Frank Norton.

PennDOT plans to add a traffic light and make it easier for trucks to turn.

Both improvements are important to the president of Calex Logistics, a nearby trucking company that was not involved in the most recent crash. But the company has been asking PennDOT and elected officials to install a traffic light for the better half of a decade.

"A traffic light would be a great solution!" said Doug Barbacci, Calex president. "Our priority as a company is the safety of, not only our employees but the public."

In fact, he says, those changes to this intersection can't come soon enough. But construction won't start until 2018. That's because Laflin Borough officials say, while PennDOT approved the project, officials now have to design it.

"It's in the study stage, for PennDOT, after that, they're going to enter into their planning," said Borough Manager Charlie Boyd.

Until then, trucking companies hope drivers slow down to prevent any more crashes from happening.

Officials with PennDOT expect the improvements to this intersection at Route 315 and Pittston Avenue in Laflin to be finished sometime in 2019.

Before You Leave, Check This Out