Borough to receive $307K traffic safety grant

On Feb. 10, State Sen. Lisa Baker and Rep. Jeff Olsommer announced that Milford Borough will receive a $307,857 grant through the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s Automated Red-Light Enforcement (ARLE) program. The funds will help improve traffic safety and accessibility at 13 intersections along Broad Street and Harford Street as well as one other area.

Ironically, much of the money collected from the ARLE program is from ticketed drivers who ran the red lights in large cities like Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.

“The monies received through the ARLE program will go a long way toward making the streets safer for our residents and visitors,” Milford Borough Council President Joe Dooley said. “I and others in our small town have personally experienced near misses with vehicles while crossing Milford Borough streets. The grant will be used to purchase crosswalk signs and other safety measures to protect the public and make Milford Borough a truly walkable community. Kudos to Sen. Baker and Rep. Olsommer.”

Council members Richard Provenzano and Sharmie Ford did close to a year of research to write a grant that won the award.

“This award is great news for the Borough which has been working to address the crosswalk and safe street issue for several years,” Dooley added.

Provenzo said the grant amount was exactly what they requested.

“There are many engineering and consultancy fees, and the cost of the crosswalk signs themselves plus other expenses,” he said. “I just hope we have enough.”

The crosswalk signs will be placed where Broad Street intersects George, High, Catharine, Ann Streets.

Signs will mark Harford Street intersections at 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th Streets, and another will be added to the intersection at 7th and Mill near the Waterwheel Cafe.

“It will take about a year install, but it will bring a big change to life in the borough and give people a sense of calm when approaching the intersection,” Dooley said.