Diverter objections rejected

Huge islands of concrete have successfully formed a barrier dividing both community members and two municipalities concerning the issue of traffic flow.

"Our feeling is the street is pretty split in terms of wanting or not wanting the (traffic) diverters," said Mita Sujan, resident of Ridge Avenue in East College Heights. "It's really pitted neighbor against neighbor."

Harish Sujan, husband of Mita, said traffic on Ridge Avenue has increased since the diverters were installed in East College Heights

"We didn't think that the streets should have been closed off," Mita Sujan said.

She said she and her husband attended council meetings to protest against the diverters and even contacted local officials to voice their concerns.

The diverters were installed June 1996 at North Allen Street and Adams Avenue, Mitchell Avenue and Thomas Street, as well as at North Burrowes Street and Hillcrest Avenue. In addition, a cul-de-sac was created at North Burrowes Street.

On Jan. 19, Centre County President Judge Charles Brown dismissed preliminary objections about diverters made by Ferguson Township, according to court documents.

"The effect of the judge's decision is to dismiss the complaint," said Terry Williams, borough solicitor, adding the complaint cites a section of the borough code requiring the borough to petition a township prior to closing a road.

Mark Kunkle, Ferguson Township manager, said the borough did not consult the township before installing the diverters. The township's objections stem from a public safety standpoint in which emergency vehicles would not be able to gain access to the area, Kunkle said.

"The borough contended that they did not close the street," Williams said.

The township has 30 days -- beginning Jan. 19, the date of the original court case -- to appeal the decision, Kunkle said. He refused to comment on whether the Ferguson Township board of supervisors will appeal.

"I think (the diverters) have contributed to the traffic on North Atherton Street," he said, although he would not comment on whether the diverters have caused traffic problems in East College Heights.

Out of court, residents of the neighborhood defend their support of or opposition to the traffic diverters. For some residents in the East College Heights neighborhood, the diverters are a roadblock, dividing those who love the diverters from those who hate them.

"It just has made a maze of our neighborhood," said Barbara Campbell (senior-fine arts).

Although Campbell said she understands the reasoning behind the installation of the diverters, her family is not pleased with their effect.

"I think in general they are pretty horrible to look at and they are inconvenient," she said. "I think it would be better if they made them more permanent, so aesthetically they are a little nicer."

Some residents of Ridge Avenue said they felt traffic on their street has increased only to provide convenience for other streets in the neighborhood.

"(The motorists) are angry and they're speeding through the street," said Mita Sujan, pointing to a car that whizzed past her home. "It's almost an attitude, they just want to have a shortcut."

Jeff Kukitz (senior-media studies) said the diverters prevent him from traveling quickly through the neighborhood when he needs to pick up a friend or go to the library at night.

"(The diverters) just get in the way, if you try to get to campus and you want to drive," Kukitz said "It's only three or four minutes extra, but it's annoying if you have to do it everyday."

Some residents of Ridge Avenue want to decrease the flow of traffic on their street; however, some residents of other streets are satisfied with the results.

"It was becoming a thru-way for people and the people were speeding. They weren't stopping at stop signs," said Eileen Gallagher, a resident of East Adams Avenue.

Collegian Staff writer Emily Rehring contributed to this article.