SCRANTON, Pa. -- A colorful new addition to a trail in Scranton is designed to stop traffic. The pop of color and light is meant to make the Lackawanna Heritage Trail safer for the people who use it.
Crews turned the crosswalk bright green, one of several safety improvements being made in areas where the Lackawanna Heritage Trail intersects with a street in the city.
Mary Perry and Patti Mulrine came to the Lackawanna Heritage Valley Trail in Scranton for the scenery.
"It's a nice place to walk because there's a lot of trees and it's a little cooler than walking up at Nay Aug or something like that," said Perry.
They also noticed a new colorful addition in the areas where the trail meets the street.
"First of all, I think it's pretty, second of all I think it's a great idea because it does, for safety, it's good," Mulrine said.
Crews installed green crosswalks on Elm Street and Broadway Street in Scranton. It's part of an effort to make these intersections safer for people who use the trail.
"I'm so glad that they put these caution lights in and that, it makes a big difference," said Bob Visnofsky.
Back in February, a man was killed after being hit by a car in the Broadway Street intersection.
"Well, you had almost a 50-foot roadway, and cars would be coming by at 45, 50 miles per hour. It was very dangerous trying to cross this intersection. Hopefully, all these improvements we're putting in here will help alleviate some of those issues," said Owen Worozbyt, Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority.
The Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority also installed light poles. People on the trail can press a button that sets off flashing lights to warn drivers.
That's a new addition that makes Geraldine Garvey feel safer when she walks here.
"I've been walking this, when it first started, when it first opened up, but I don't walk it by myself. I always come with somebody," Garvey said.
In total, the LHVA plans to make safety improvements at seven intersections along the trail in the Scranton area.
This is a $700,000 project paid for through grants from the city and the state as well as a donation from the University of Scranton. All that work should be wrapped up this summer.