Carlisle, PA

Public Outreach Meeting Slated to Discuss Potential Traffic Calming Measures

 Borough staff will hold the first in a series of public outreach meetings regarding potential transportation changes along the Bedford Street/East Street corridor(s). This initial meeting will take place at the Biddle Mission Park Pavilion, 311 East North Street, on June 17 at 6:00 p.m. In case of inclement weather, the meeting will move to the Sertoma Building located immediately adjacent to Biddle Mission Park.

The Borough has received concerns from residents about speeding along the Bedford Street/East Street corridor, primarily in the area north of High Street. In response to these complaints, the Borough’s engineering staff conducted traffic studies in the area to assess potential traffic calming methods. At the September 2020 Borough Council meeting, staff proposed the following traffic calming measures for the area:

• Reduce the number of travel lanes from two to one. Eliminating one lane and using the space for other purposes provides the opportunity to reduce the lane width and slow traffic.
• Provide a dedicated on-street bike lane. Reducing Bedford and/or East Street from two one-way lanes to a single one-way lane would provide additional space for a dedicated bicycle lane.
• Change on-street parking from parallel parking to angled, back-in parking where possible. Reverse angle parking is considered safer and it allows drivers to make eye contact with oncoming traffic when exiting the parking space. In addition, switching from parallel parking to angled parking would increase on-street parking spaces by 5 to 10 percent.

Public outreach on this issue began in March of this year, with letters and surveys mailed to properties along the corridor. An online survey through the Borough’s citizen engagement platform, Engage Carlisle, is also underway. Residents are encouraged to take the survey by visiting https://carlisle.citizenlab.co/en/projects/bedford-and-east-street-traffic-calming.

At the June 17 meeting, the public will be able to ask questions and share their observations and perspectives with Borough staff.  The Borough will continue to provide status updates during monthly public meetings, and through the Borough’s social media channels, website, and future press releases.