ST. MARYS – Nearly 135 residents attended an information session
about propsed changes to state Route 255 presented by state
Department of Transportation representatives Thursday night at St.
Marys Elementary School.

The change affects South St. Marys Street/Million Dollar
Highway, proposing a change from a sub-standard, narrow four-lane
section to a standard, but wider three-lane section.

Penn DOT plans to convert the highway to three lanes strting
just beyond Dairy Queen through South St. Marys Street Elementary
School location. Having three lanes in that section, Penn DOT says,
will make it easier for residents who live in that area to get in
and out of their driveways; slow down traffic; and reduce the
number of accidents. Studies showed the change would not increase
travel time from the beginning of the highway through town by more
than about 20 seconds.

Options include a five-lane, four-lane or three-lane
section.

Ron Keim of Penn DOT explained the project is necessary because
the road does not meet current regulations. The current three lanes
are 11 feet wide and must be upgraded to 12 feet. The changes
proposed will have four-foot-wide shoulders. All emergency service
vehicles will have a device where they could change the signals to
allow them to pass through. The lights will also be synchronized,
so people will no longer hit every red light as they drive.

Maintaining a four-lane road or increasing it to five lanes
would require moving utilities and taking out some trees in order
to increase the shoulders.  The cost of the project if three lanes
are done will be about $12 million. If four or five lanes were to
be done, the cost would increase by about $2.5 million, officials
said. The cost to relocate utilities would increase the cost of the
project by $500,000 to $700,000 if the four- or five-lane option
were to be used.

While the  five-lane option provides the fastest travel time, it
also has a greater impact on residents, utilities and storm water
detention. The road would be widened 16 feet. The current four-lane
does not meet FHWA standards. The new four-lane configuration would
not provide a separate turning lane; would increase delays; and
would realign Arch Street. The proposed three-lane would provide
wider lanes, reduced crash rates and safer pedestrian access. No
additional width would be needed, thus reducing utility relocations
and the impact on residential rights-of-way and eliminating the
need for storm water detention.

There were 48 reportable accidents over five years between
Random Road and State Street, project manager Dean Ball said. He
explained that by going with the five-lane configuration, the road
would encroach on property to within five feet of the houses. In
one case the house steps are in the right-of-way. He added the
state already owns the property.

Jim Ryan, a resident of St. Marys, argued that taking away lanes
of traffic will hurt the city in the long run. “I just think it’s
absolutely asinine to go backwards. I just think it’s really a step
backwards,” Ryan said. “You guys do a great job in analyzing a
situation. I am really happy you are listening to public input.
This could have a really disastrous affect on industry. I don’t
think you are going to come back and build us a by-pass.”

The final decision will be made when PennDOT and FHWA use all of
the input given to identify the best balance of impacts, at the
most reasonable cost that will meet the project need and benefit
the traveling public.

Marla Fannin, PennDOT community relations coordinator, explained
that the final decision will be presented to the public either in a
public meeting or through a City council meeting.