EASTON, Pa. — Easton is looking for residents’ opinions and suggestions concerning safety in their Easton Safe Streets for All Survey, which went online Tuesday.
The survey asks for basic demographic information, your relationship with the city — whether you live or work there or commute through the city — in addition to details about methods of travel.
It also presents questions about the biggest safety concerns for Easton streets, and suggestions to improve them, with multiple choice answers and an open spot for write-ins.
Some of the listed concerns include speeding motorists, a lack of bike lanes, a lack of off-road walking and/or biking paths, issues at traffic signals/crosswalks/road crossings, street designs, lack of ADA access, and issues at bus stops.
Suggested improvements include reducing posted speed limits, adding more police enforcement, providing more driver education, adding traffic calming elements like speed cushions and curb extensions, and improving street lighting.
The survey comes at a pivotal time, with Easton amid the development of the Easton Commerce Park project, a one-million square foot warehouse that largely sits in Wilson Borough but may impact traffic in the city.
A PennDOT study of the road that would provide an entrance into the warehouse lot is underway.
Dozens of individuals have already jumped on the survey, with a significant number of comments focusing on the Downtown area.
Once a participant completes the short survey, they have the option to add a point to the map, share input about issues with that location, and see others’ opinions on the matter.
They can also agree or disagree with existing comments, and add their own opinions to the conversation.
Trends so far
Of course, the "p word" made its way into the conversation, with several respondents highlighting their issues with parking, especially Downtown.
One repeated suggestion along South 13th Street includes requests for a traffic preemption system for emergency vehicle egresses.
Requests for pedestrian crossing signals in the Downtown area, parking accommodations for Downtown residents, and additional parking for bikes have also appeared on the survey map.
There were also at least a few comments concerning children playing in the roads and suggestions to increase road maintenance during the winter months with suggestions for more plowing or salting.
A few suggestions touched on much larger requests, including one for South Third Street that recommended the city “remove the bumpouts, and re-widen the road, to allow for the busses and cars using the parking garage easier access.”
