City and state officials address safety upgrades coming to S. Cameron Street in Harrisburg. Pictured (from left): Harrisburg Communications Director Matt Maisel, PennDOT spokesperson Fritzi Schreffler and city Project Manager Percy Bullock.
On Thursday morning, city and state officials stood near the site of a recent fatal accident to discuss safety on the roadway.
Near the intersection on S. Cameron and Paxton streets, on Tuesday evening, a female bicyclist was struck and killed by a truck. This was the latest in a series of pedestrian and bicyclist deaths along the Cameron Street corridor in the last two years.
Harrisburg and PennDOT officials explained that, while there are no new proposals to make changes to the roadway, one long-standing project will aim to make the corridor safer.
PennDOT spokesperson Fritzi Schreffler explained that the department has plans, dating back to 2017, to improve safety on Cameron Street in anticipation of its I-83 widening project.
As PennDOT prepares for its major construction project to widen the highway, officials expect to see increased traffic on Cameron Street. This prompted the plan for upgrades, including improved street lighting, road patching, line repainting, sidewalk improvements and longer pedestrian crossing signals, among other changes.
Schreffler stressed that this project is not in response to the many recent fatalities. However, according to Harrisburg Communications Director Matt Maisel, they will help.
“Every time an accident like this happens, it is a reminder of why we are doing this,” he said.
Schreffler also noted that currently, motorists access the S. 13th Street interchange by driving through Paxton Street, making the intersection at Cameron Street busy. However, that will also change as part of the highway widening project, when the ramp is relocated.
“It’s safety improvements focused on motorists first, but also on anybody crossing the street, pedestrians, bicyclists,” Schreffler said.
PennDOT expects to begin construction on the corridor, from Berryhill Street to Elmerton Avenue, in the summer, and it will likely take around a year to complete. Construction from Berryhill Street to Sycamore Street is expected to begin the following year.
While some advocates have called for increased bicycle infrastructure, according to PennDOT and the city, adding bike lanes to the road is not in the plan.
“It’s a very busy drag,” said Harrisburg Project Manager Percy Bullock. “It’s too difficult with the businesses and the speed of the road to put bike [lanes] on it.”
In the meantime, while construction takes place, Maisel urged motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists to use the road responsibly. He advised drivers to be aware of their surroundings and speed and encouraged pedestrians and bicyclists to follow safe crossing practices.
“This is a call to action for everyone to be more careful when you are on the road,” he said.
For more information on PennDOT’s I-83 Capital Beltway project, visit their website.
If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!
