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Supervisors discuss dangerous intersection
Talks are under way with a landfill operator to resolve the problem.
HILLSVILE, Pa. — Mahoning Township supervisors are looking for a way to improve a dangerous intersection after the traffic death of a local man there Aug. 18.
Township resident Joseph Nestasie attended a supervisors’ meeting last week and submitted a petition with the names of 61 residents asking that Browning-Ferris Industries pay a guard to be stationed round-the-clock at the intersection of Main Street and a private road leading into the BFI landfill off U.S. Route 224.
Residents have long complained about truck traffic leaving the Poland Township landfill in Mahoning County without stopping at the public road, which is in Mahoning Township.
Mark McConnell II, 22, of Edinburg, died after his car collided with a tractor-trailer that was northbound on the private road, according to a published report.
About 25 people attended the meeting, and many of them suggested other solutions, such as rumble strips on the private road, spike strips, closing the private road and using a currently closed road in Poland Township for access.
Nestasie said Poland Township should accept the responsibility of providing a safe access road since it receives the fees for the landfill. Supervisor Gary Pezzuolo said the road is owned by Essroc but maintained by BFI.
Jim Morris, the Northwest Lawrence County Regional police chief, suggested supervisors look into ordaining the private haul road as a township road, which would give the township authority to issue citations and enforce traffic signals.
Currently, although there are oversized stop signs and a blinking light on the private road at the intersection, truck drivers leaving the landfill may ignore them without committing a traffic violation. The only violation would be leaving the road and failing to yield the right of way to a vehicle on Main Street, he said.
Supervisors said they have met with BFI officials since the accident and discussed ways to reduce the number of accidents at the intersection. Township Solicitor Louis Perrotta said that discussions with the landfill are moving forward but that he could not give details at this time.
Pezzuolo added that BFI is concerned over what goes on at the intersection, but he said the problem is not the BFI drivers but the over-the-road haulers who bring refuse to the landfill.
Nestasie said some residents are discussing taking their lawn chairs and sitting at the intersection. “I don’t want to promote a bunch of vigilantes, but something has to be done immediately,” he said.
In other matters, supervisors authorized advertising for bids for the upcoming sanitary sewer project. Bids are already being advertised for construction of a new sewage treatment plant and can be picked up at RAR Engineering, New Castle. Sewer plant bids will be opened at the December meeting.
Supervisors also were informed in a letter from a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation contractor that Skyhill Road will be closed soon and remain closed until Oct. 30, 2009, for structure work.