Politics & Government
New Traffic Lights Cause Confusion in Tatamy
Tatamy officials witness near misses as motorists adjust to new traffic lights.
The 40-year-old blinking red light in Tatamy was no more as of 10:30am Thursday morning, confusing some motorists and causing a few "near misses," borough officials say.
Borough council president Chris Moren said he witnessed almost immediate confusion when the new traffic lights were turned on at Main and Eighth streets. The lights were when a new Route 33 interchange and an industrial park are constructed.
For 40 years, that light had been a blinking red light -- a four-way stop.
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“People were confused,” Moren said. “It was like they’ve never seen a light before. A lot of old timers [people accustomed to the blinking light] were stopping at the green light.”
Moren said he knows of one borough resident who was almost rear-ended by a truck. The woman said that she was stopped at the red light, but the driver behind her didn’t realize she wouldn't be going anywhere for a while.
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Tatamy Police Chief George Achenbach said the borough expected the confusion.
“It’s a big change," he said. "We’ve had a blinker light for so many years and now it’s a stop light."
Although there have been a few near misses, there have been no fender-benders yet, according to Achenbach.
“It’s a transition that has been difficult,” he said, adding that if there are no accidents during rush hour on a Thursday or Friday, there probably won't be any major problems in the future.
In addition to the new traffic lights at Main and Eighth streets, lights were also turned on just down the street at the intersection of Eighth Street and Commerce Lane.
Tatamy went from being a one-light town -- a blinker at that -- to a two stop-light town all in one day.
The lights were installed and activated by Telco Inc. in Reading, Moren said. The company was hired by Charles Chrin Companies to install the traffic signals in preparation for an interchange project that will connect Route 33 to Main Street. The project also calls for an industrial park that will be accessible by Commerce Lane.
Palmer Township supervisors (TIF) plan for $33.25 million to help finance the interchange. The TIF proposal now moves to the Easton Area School Board and Northampton County Council for approval.