AVOCA -- It`s no secret that the roundabouts installed by Penn DOT have not been received well by drivers in Luzerne County.
The lanes circling the roundabouts take people from Interstate 81 mostly to the Wilkes-Barre-Scranton International Airport but also to a hotel, a restaurant and now to nearby industrial parks.
Many say the roundabouts are confusing and hard to navigate.
“This is the first time we`ve been up here in a long time so it was all new to us and it was kind of weird and scary, it really was. Especially when there`s a lot of cars,” said one couple who were picking up someone at the airport.
Now enter in Berne Milarck of Archbald to the rescue.
Milarck came up with an idea to clear the confusion in the roundabouts.
Instead of arrows, paint airplanes on the lanes leading to the airport to direct drivers where to go.
“The roundabouts, with airplanes pointing to where the airport is,” said Berne. “Now is that a simple solution or what?”
Berne came up with the idea back in January after having trouble with the roundabouts herself.
Then later that day, she saw a story about them on Newswatch 16 with James May from Penn DOT.
“It came on TV that night, when they were talking about the roundabouts so I went on WNEP online, found his name, typed an email, that was it,” said Berne.
“So emailed Berne back in January and said I love this idea,” said May.
May says after 10 months of meeting with contractors on Berne`s idea, Penn DOT is ready to put it into action.
“Sometime in the next couple of weeks we`re going to be going out and actually painting these airplanes on the ground and they`ll lead motorists straight from 81 up to the airport, “said May. “So I think it`s just a really, really good idea. And I think what is so exciting for me is that it came from one of the viewers.”
May says the painting should only take a few days and the roundabouts will be open to traffic while work is being done.