It’s no secret that the City of Harrisburg is in dire need of an infrastructure overhaul.
Like so many cities, its systems of water, sewer, roadways, bridges and streetlights were put in place in other eras. When these frameworks were installed, they were innovative and effective.
Now, they’re old and outdated.
This is not a new subject. As the capital city’s debt crisis has unfolded over the past few years, there has been extensive scrutiny and public discussion about the antiquated infrastructure neglected since the city’s diminishing heydays.
Fortunately, that talk has resulted in due attention to the problems of burnt-out streetlights, potholes, faded lane lines and paving.
In January, the secretary of the state Department of Transportation stood alongside state Rep. Patty Kim and Mayor Eric Papenfuse to announce that Harrisburg would receive $10 million over the next five years to fix its most broken streets.
Also, an integral part of the massive debt resolution set aside an initial $6 million for city infrastructure repair. It’s in a fund to be used exclusively for that purpose without the ability to touch it for other reasons. That seed money will undoubtedly go fast, but, luckily, the fund is designed to receive future parking revenues for long-term support of one of the city’s greatest needs.
The point is, for the first time in a long, long time, Harrisburg will have money to fix some of its flaws.
Thank goodness.
While the list of infrastructure problems is substantial, fortunately, the city’s not that big.
From city line to city line, north to south, Harrisburg is about 4.5 miles long. From east to west, it’s less than three miles wide. It’s a small place.
Therefore, conceivably, it shouldn’t be that difficult to venture around the city and comprehensively address what needs to be done.
Anyone’s list will include the roads riddled with potholes that can’t be mended with patches of macadam. It won’t take long to fill pages with an inventory of burnt-out streetlights. Then there are the faded lane lines that confuse and frustrate drivers, whether residents, commuters or visitors. Speaking of faded lines, crosswalks are desperately deficient, too.
The list also should include a re-evaluation of traffic signals, improved signage and a reconsideration of the directional framework of the city’s streets.
What do I mean by this?
Well, first, let’s deliberate traffic signals. Not only should the timing of some of these stoplights be re-calibrated—such as the back-to-back lights at Locust and Walnut streets that seem to create congestion rather than relieve it—but the city needs some traffic signal upgrades.
Most specifically, Harrisburg could use more left-turn signals and a few more “No Turn on Red” signs. Need an example? Forster and N. 3rd streets where cars turning left, each the opposite way, go head to head in the intersection waiting for a chance to make their moves. Head up to Market and 13th or State and 15th at rush hour to see similar battles of will and machine. A pedestrian takes life in hand to cross these places at certain times, not knowing which ways vehicles may be coming.
Then there are the one-way streets.
A cruise up and down Harrisburg’s main streets yields the discovery that one-way streets are abundant. While this is not unusual for a city, in Harrisburg’s case, there really doesn’t seem to be a rhyme or reason why so many one-way streets go in the same direction in a row. That is, the traffic patterns require a driver to travel several blocks before east or west is an option, which is definitely a hindrance to those who live in the city, even if the original intention was precisely to hinder flow into the neighborhoods.
Perhaps this is yet another leftover design element of a past rationale, but for those of us today, it ends up being a befuddling inconvenience.
As if that isn’t enough, too often there isn’t clear signage indicating which direction the road goes. This, despite the fact that the city’s code states, “A sign indicating direction of traffic shall be erected and maintained at every intersection where movement in the opposite direction is prohibited according to the traffic control maps or by temporary regulation.”
Speaking of one-way streets, on one prominent issue, I feel compelled to declare my position without belaboring points already made—yes, I agree that Front and 2nd streets should be changed from one-way to two-way streets.
On that same note of major renovations, Cameron Street could do with an entire revamp in order to tackle the excessive speeding. In fact, the Capital Area Greenbelt Association is working with PennDOT on this to add “traffic calming devices” near where the Greenbelt path crosses this dangerous thoroughfare. Projects like this allow even further alteration to add bike lanes, which would be a trailblazing step for the capital city. Yes, pun intended.
Last, but not least, on a wish list of things to accomplish: CAT should open up the public debate about redoing the transit patterns in the city. Let’s ponder taking the big buses off narrow 3rd Street and moving them up to wider 6th Street. Wish of all wishes would be a trolley/shuttle of some sort that offered reliable transport from points across the city east to west, north to south, clear stops along the way.
Since repair, rehabilitation and renovation are bound to happen, why not throw everything on the table?
Tara Leo Auchey is creator and editor of todays the day Harrisburg. www.todaysthedayhbg.com
