Tarentum replaces streetlight at Lock Street and East 10th Avenue

Jan. 14--A Tarentum intersection that had been dark since a crash in November will again be illuminated at night.

Borough crews Monday replaced the streetlight at Lock Street and East 10th Avenue, borough Manager Michael Nestico said.

The light that previously had been there was knocked out Nov. 25, when a tractor-trailer turning left onto Lock from East 10th took down two poles and power lines.

The damage caused a power outage that forced Highlands School District to call a two-hour delay at its nearby elementary school the next morning.

The replacement of the streetlight came after the borough received a letter from Willard Pelican, in which he proposed that one be placed there.

"I have noticed it is extremely dark at the intersection during the night," he said in his letter, dated Dec. 26 and reviewed by council its Jan. 6 meeting. "As you may recall, this pole was recently replaced after a recent truck accident."

Pelican, a New Kensington resident, said he travels through the intersection almost every day.

"I noticed just recently how dark it was. That's why I wrote the letter," he said. "I'm glad it was taken care of in such an expedient manner."

Nestico said the light needed to be repaired after the accident.

"In situations like that, sometimes, we have to wait for insurance reimbursement," he said. "We also have to schedule things with our lineman, and that could take a bit of time."

In his letter to Nestico, Pelican also raised concern about drivers continuing to turn left from Lock onto East 10th, despite left turns being prohibited there and in spite of street signs.

Pelican suggested directional arrows pointing to the right and "ONLY" be painted on Lock Street to emphasize the left turn restriction.

Nestico did not say if the borough would act on that suggestion.

Brian C. Rittmeyer is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Brian at 724-226-4701, [email protected] or via Twitter .

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