New sign may help busy intersection

Monday, February 20, 2012

CLEARFIELD - A new sign may help alleviate confusion at a busy intersection in Clearfield.
The Clearfield Borough Council approved an ordinance Thursday naming a turning lane into the new CVS building.
Solicitor F. Cortez Bell III said the ordinance is necessary to name a short turning lane, which was built along with the new CVS store. The ordinance will also give permission for a sign that will direct motorists wanting to turn into the store's lot. The sign reads "CVS LANE ONLY" and is intended to help with some of the confusion drivers are experiencing when traveling through the intersection.
According to previously published Courier-Express articles, the intersection has been causing confusion since the store opened in mid-January.
Before the new store was built, motorists traveling down Brewery Hill encountered a traffic signal and would travel straight through the intersection onto Third Street. Motorists who wanted to turn right onto Bridge/Nichols Street would have a green arrow that allowed them to make the right from Bigler Avenue/Route 322.
Under the new pattern, motorists encounter three arrows at the light at the bottom of Brewery Hill; one points left and two point right. Motorists who want to go to the new CVS store must turn right to pass through the intersection, then turn right again to enter the parking lot of the store. That is causing problems with motorists who want to turn left from Bridge Street and go up Brewery Hill, those who want to travel straight through the intersection from Third Street to go up Brewery Hill and those wanting to come down the hill, travel straight through the intersection and onto Third Street.
The borough has been working with PennDOT and the engineers used by CVS to design the layout of the intersection to try to come up with a better way to handle the problem.
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Reported by Kimberly Finnigan, staff writer. E-mail: kfinnigan@thecourierexpress.com.