Baldwin Borough Council Faces Streets Run-Prospect Intersection Concerns Again

resident Frank Pikutis, of 1649 Streets Run Road, voiced his concerns to Baldwin Council on Tuesday night over dangerous traffic at the Streets Run-Prospect Road intersection near his home.

Pikutis pointed out that traffic is still largely operating in the same way that Baldwin Councilman Edward Moeller described it during .

The bridge at that three-way intersection allows drivers coming from the south on Streets Run to make a right turn to remain heading north on Streets Run without stopping. However, drivers coming to that intersection from Prospect who wish to turn left to head north onto Streets Run or stay straight to head south onto Streets Run must stop.

Because drivers coming from the north on Streets Run do not have to stop for any other drivers at that intersection—regardless of their destination—and because drivers coming from Prospect may elect to turn left onto Streets Run, drivers staying straight at that intersection to get onto Prospect must also stop.

The primary safety issue at that intersection stems from vehicles turning right onto Streets Run that are failing to stay in their lane. Instead, vehicles are using the wide, striped-painted shoulder of that intersection to turn right onto Streets Run while the vehicle ahead of them is stopped before heading straight onto Prospect.

Because drivers turning left from Prospect onto Streets Run may see a stopped vehicle facing them in the opposite lane, they may proceed without ever seeing a vehicle turning right from behind the stopped vehicle.

This is where a crash could easily occur.

Baldwin’s Council President Michael Stelmasczyk pointed out that Streets Run is a state-maintained road and that council members have contacted , who has jurisdiction over that area, about the issue. However, no improvements or adjustments have been made to that intersection.

“(Kortz)’s been made aware of it,” Moeller told Pikutis on Tuesday. “He promised us four months ago that a sign would go up (at that intersection to deter leaving one’s lane).”

Moeller encouraged Pikutis to contact Kortz directly in addition to continued pressure from Baldwin’s council members.

Check back with the Baldwin-Whitehall Patch later on Wednesday for more odds and ends from Tuesday night’s borough meeting.

Have you been through that intersection? Is it dangerous? Tell us in the comments section below.