A Centre County downtown Project has now been detoured, with a meeting set for next week to discuss the new ideas.
Simply known as the Diamond, the intersection of Allegheny and High Streets in the heart of Bellefonte can be tricky to navigate the regular traffic and pedestrian crosswalks intersecting
with various access points.
Even before a deadly pedestrian accident here in the summer 2020, the borough was studying safety improvements.
Last year, two ideas emerged, including one that would make the diamond a roundabout traffic pattern. But just a few months later, that idea is now sidelined.
“Number one, we we don’t have the funding to do that major significant change. Number two that we had the public input meetings at the beginning of November, and there is a strong message
not to do a roundabout.”
Plus Bellefonte Borough Council has newly elected members this year.
What’s in the works now? The diamond is on a smaller scale to better illuminate the crosswalks. More details are coming next week,
“So we will have at this meeting on February seventh. This coming Monday will have new cost estimates on getting that work done.
We anticipate council giving us the go ahead through a motion to go ahead and get that work scheduled. The other item that we are looking at is improved lighting on the diamond.
The estimated cost of the roundabout was at least $1,000,000 in state roadways are involved changes.”
The diamond will still need PennDOT approval
