Published: February 11, 2009 11:25 pm      

City may remove Broad Street light

Even as PennDOT prepares to add a traffic signal on Johnstown’s busy Broad Street, officials on Wednesday disclosed plans to eliminate a light just a block away.

No one appeared at a public hearing concerning the planned removal of a traffic signal at Broad Street and Seventh Ave-nue in the Cambria City section.

City Manager Curt Davis said the change is spurred by a PennDOT traffic-flow study. Fewer cars use the intersection since Reliant Energy vacated its Broad Street complex, which formerly was occupied by Penelec.

“Without that traffic coming in and out, there really wasn’t a necessity” for a traffic light, Davis said.

He added that PennDOT still plans to install a signal at Sixth Avenue and Broad Street – an intersection that is much more congested due to drivers traveling to or coming from Brownstown and Westmont.

“That’s going to happen, my guess would be, within the next couple of months,” Davis said.

From his office at Broad Street’s Heritage Discovery Center, Richard Burkert said he agrees with PennDOT’s plan for a new signal at Sixth and Broad.

“It really is a safety hazard,” said Burkert, Johnstown Area Heritage Association executive director.

The signal at Seventh is nice, but it is not a necessity, he said.

However, the proposed removal of that traffic light may cause some headaches for Ozog Funeral Home, 710 Broad St.

“That light actually benefits us,” said Frank Ozog Jr., a funeral director.

“For the funeral processions, that’s where we exit.”

Ozog staff may have to request a police assistance for processions if the light is eliminated.