Borough council gets 'loopy,' begins traffic study for buses

By ANGELA J. GATES
Collegian Staff Writer

Preliminary studies for the Eastern Inner Loop, a road plan to improve traffic flow on Atherton Street, will soon begin.

"The whole point of the Eastern Inner Loop is to move more local traffic to their destinations more efficiently," said Jean McManis, State College Borough Council president.

The six funding partners for the plan -- Penn State, State College Borough, Centre County and College, Ferguson and Patton townships -- have approved costs of preliminary engineering and environmental studies, said Thomas Zilla, transportation planner with the Centre Regional Planning Commission.

Borough council agreed Feb. 16 to spend $15,000 for initial data collection, which Robert Bini, director of the planning commission, said allowed the group to move forward with the studies.

The planning commission will conduct several traffic studies such as origin-destination surveys and traffic counts of current road conditions to help identify the alternatives for structuring the Loop, Zilla said. He added consultants will look at about five options.

One road system the commission considered in a preliminary study would connect University Drive with Clinton Avenue, Vairo Boulevard and the Mount Nittany Expressway, Zilla said. However, design consultants will consider other options to find the best alternative, he said.

"It's important to start the studies soon, while classes are still in session," Bini said. Traffic is greatest during the Fall and Spring semesters when faculty, staff and students are in town, he said.

Preliminary studies should begin by the end of March and take about 14 months, Zilla said. The planning commission will then take 10 months to analyze the best single road option, he said.

Plans for improving traffic conditions on Atherton Street have been discussed for more than 25 years, McManis said.

Following preliminary studies, the agency will finalize the design of the Eastern Inner Loop and begin construction after the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration approve construction plans, Zilla said.

Construction should be completed in 2005 if there are no problems or delays, he said.