TANNERSVILLE, Pa. — Walking along Route 611 in Pocono Township is something Angel Figueroa does a lot. However, it's not always safe. With cars flying by, he constantly has to be careful. He's thankful that in the coming year, there will be a more permanent space for him and others to walk on.
Sidewalks will be spanning both sides of Route 611 from Smugglers Cove to the BP Gas station at Route 715.
"I appreciate that 100 percent a lot of people would have sidewalks; it's better than walking on the side of the road," said Figueroa
It's all a part of a PennDOT Safety Enhancement Project.
The $900,000 sidewalk project is fully covered by federal money, a part of PennDOT's Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside program.
The first phase is to construct sidewalks from Pocono Township's municipal building to Turkey Hill in Tannersville.
The hope is to bring a main street feel back to the township.
"You see a lot more kids at times walking down. You've got more people living in apartments locally, the Weis Markets, and the downtown shopping, so to speak. And so it would be nice to get back to a little bit more walkability and hopefully at the same time beautification of the downtown," said Taylor Munoz, Pocono Township's manager.
Phase two of the project will be to add a roundabout where Fish Hill Road and Learn Road meet.
"That intersection is a nightmare. It's very unsafe as it currently stands. You have traffic going in multiple directions. You have traffic going around a utility pole that sits in the middle of the intersection," Munoz said.
The roundabout project costs $800,000, which is covered under a collection of grants. It's designed to keep traffic moving and will help with speeding concerns.
"What is currently a 25-mile-an-hour zone regularly has people traveling upwards of 50 or 60 mph," Munoz said. "So the roundabout will also help from the residences that but up the area. It will help slow down traffic."
If all goes according to plan, construction could start in 2024.
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