Signals for Crosswalk Coming to Route 40 at Lewis Lane

Little League coach Dave Glenn has been hoping for a signaled crosswalk at Pulaski Highway and Lewis Lane since 2008.

This week, officials took a major step toward making Glenn's dream a reality. The State Highway Administration has approved the installation of a signaled crosswalk at the busy Havre de Grace intersection.

In a letter dated Oct. 13, David W. Peake, the metropolitan district engineer for Baltimore and Harford counties, told the intersection of U.S. Route 40 and Lewis Lane would be retrofitted with pedestrian signals.

Dougherty thanked Glenn, a resident who lives on Lewis Lane in the Grace Manor neighborhood. Glenn has been active in trying to have signals installed at the intersection, which separates residences from and the .

"Being a Little League coach for over 29 years, I take great pride in the youth of this great community. It was evident to everyone I talked to that the intersection was dangerous and something needed to be done," Glenn wrote in an email to Patch. "Bottom line, I wanted to make sure that we avoided a tragedy before it happened. I would get no satisfaction in saying, 'I told you so.' "

Glenn thanked the mayor, city council and city staff for their efforts.

"Through their concerted efforts, they have finally made what was a dream, a reality," he wrote.

The letter from Peake stated: "We are pleased to inform you that this location has been approved for pedestrian indications. This improvement will include adding Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS) and Countdown Pedestrian Signals (CPS). We will follow up with you by the end of the year with a timeframe when we anticipate this improvement will be completed."

The letter—provided to Patch by a city official—echoed comments made by Dougherty at Monday's city council meeting.

SHA drafted the letter in response to concerns Dougherty raised at a September meeting at the Aberdeen H.E.A.T. Center. At the , Dougherty explained that during the meeting at the H.E.A.T. Center, other Harford County municipalities were granted projects, but the long-desired crosswalk wasn't one of them. Havre de Grace's street and traffic safety committee had raised concerns about the intersection for years.

The SHA letter also stated that turn lanes with signals are in the plans for traffic exiting Lewis Lane onto Route 40.

"Our traffic engineering staff will also review this location to address your request to add a left turn phase along north and southbound Lewis Lane. Our review should be completed within sixty days, and at that time, we will get back to you with our findings," Peake said in the letter.

Glenn, a Havre de Grace alum whose daughter and son have graduated from Havre de Grace's schools, said he's already looking forward to other community improvements.

"Now it is time for the next project—a at ," Glenn said. "One cannot ever stop dreaming."