Published: June 19, 2008 10:37 pm      

Boroughs receive signs for pedestrian crosswalks

Portage, Hastings and Northern Cambria boroughs are the latest municipalities in the area to receive pedestrian safety signs from PennDOT.

The signs are placed on center lines of high-traffic crosswalks and remind motorists that they are to yield to pedestrians who are crossing.

The crosswalk devices display a highly reflective pedestrian-crossing symbol designed to slow traffic and alert motorists that pedestrians have the right of way.

Portage is receiving 12 signs while Hastings and Northern Cambria are getting two each, said Tom Holsinger, bicycle-pedestrian coordinator for PennDOT’s six-county District 9. Holsinger, along with other PennDOT officials and representatives of the three boroughs, held a press conference Thursday in Portage to stress the importance of pedestrian safety.

He said the signs depict a red yield triangle and a message instructing motorists to yield to pedestrians.

The signs are effective, Holsinger said, noting that vehicles were slowing at the Mountain Avenue-Main Street intersection even when no pedestrians were in sight.

PennDOT provides the signs free to municipalities requesting them after a traffic study is completed, Holsinger said. He said 2008 is the fourth year PennDOT has conducted the program.

Nearly 100 of the signs have been placed throughout District 9, which includes Cambria, Somerset, Bedford, Blair, Huntingdon and Fulton counties, Holsinger said.