LAUREL RUN, Pa. — The pavement on this Luzerne County road twists around a bend called the devil’s elbow. Drivers ride their brakes to negotiate the curves.
Officially, it’s called East Northampton Street and Laurel Run Road, a two-lane highway that snakes across Laurel Run and Bear Creek Township.
Casually, this is Giants Despair — so dubbed by an exasperated motorist who attempted to climb the hill during a 1906 race.
Nearly 120 years later, it still proves a difficult — and occasionally deadly — spot for drivers.
"I cant give a good history of why this is happening, I'm not an expert, but I definitely agree," said Laurel Run Council President Shandra Kisailus. "We're are having more issues now than I could ever really remember."
A 24-year-old man died Tuesday when his tractor trailer rolled onto its side as it traveled down the steep slope. It was the second deadly crash on the hill since 2021, but borough Fire Chief Joseph Tavaglione said that most crashes on that highway are serious.
A review of state data shows drivers crashed a total of 43 times within a two-mile-long stretch between January 2019 and September this year, which is the most recent data available.
That review revealed:
- Of those 43 crashes, 26 involved at least one suspected injury.
- Six involved commercial vehicles and both of the deadly wrecks in recent years involved heavy trucks.
- At least 29 involved aggressive drivers.
- Three crashes involved alcohol.
Borough officials told us they hope the state Department of Transportation will consider conducting a traffic study to learn, among other things, how many heavy trucks travel on this road.
PennDOT said they've discussed with the borough the option of making the highway a one way up-hill until it reaches Pine Run Road. That would impact traffic in the borough and Council President Shandra Kisailus said that is an "extreme" solution.
PennDOT otherwise pointed to the several signs already informing drivers that trucks over 10½ tons are prohibited.
"Disobeying the signs is an enforcement issue," the department said in a statement.
There’s a new electronic sign that tells truck drivers heading west to turn left on Pine Run Road in the next 1,300 feet to avoid taking the plunge down Giants Despair. At least three other signs right at that intersection warn of the potential danger ahead.
Chief Tavaglione said he believes a stop sign at that intersection would be a good idea. That way, drivers would have to slow down and they could take more time to consider what is ahead of them.
"I don’t understand why that road should allow any trucks at all," Chief Tavaglione said.