Harrisburg Secures PennDOT Grant for New Front Street Traffic Signal

Harrisburg Secures PennDOT Grant for New Front Street Traffic Signal

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The City of Harrisburg secured a grant to build a new traffic signal at Front and Vaughn streets, helping residents and visitors safely reach Riverfront Park.

According to the city, the funding awarded by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s Automated Red-Light Enforcement grant program will support a fully signalized intersection at Front and Vaughn streets, WGAL reported.

The grant will also fund audible warning systems for crosswalks at Forster and Seventh streets, Forster Street and Commonwealth Avenue, and Boas Street and Commonwealth Avenue.

“Residents deserve to feel safe crossing Front Street to enjoy Riverfront Park,” Mayor Wanda Williams said. “This funding is an important step toward making that trek safer for our neighbors and families.”

City Engineer Joel Seiders reviewed local traffic data that showed the need for these improvements. Front Street data showed average daily traffic of 9,336 southbound vehicles and 4,320 northbound vehicles, combining for more than 13,600 vehicles daily.

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The data also showed an 85th-percentile speed of 47 mph in the monitored area, where the posted speed limit is 35 mph. Seiders said that the maximum recorded speed reached 85 mph heading southbound and 74 mph heading northbound.

This funding arrived following continued discussions and collaboration regarding safety intervention between Mayor Williams and PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll.

“I want to thank Secretary Carroll for his continued partnership for a safe Harrisburg,” Williams said. “The Front and Vaughn Street project represents an important and vital step in the city’s efforts to address Front Street safety concerns.”

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