Following a presentation last week that recommended the next step in a traffic policy, the State College Borough Council will vote tonight to proceed with speed mitigation in the East Highlands area.

Trans Associates presented its findings from the traffic study to Borough Council members at a work session last Monday. The study was step one in a process dubbed "traffic calming" by the borough in East Highlands.

"We're going to ask Trans Associates ... to come up with a plan to reduce speed," Borough Council member Elizabeth Goreham said. "[We're] still interested in reducing traffic, as well."

Penn State engineering professor and transportation committee member Paul Jovanis said the purpose of the study was to determine the number of people who "cut through" the East Highlands area.

"Cut throughs" are trips taken through the neighborhood that do not originate within the neighborhood.

"It's not like your quiet little neighborhood," he said.

He added that because of the diverse nature of the neighborhood, traffic becomes a problem.

Jovanis said the neighborhood includes single-family houses for rent as well as student-oriented housing, such as apartment buildings and fraternity houses.

"It's the first case ever, so you learn as you go," Jovanis said about the project.

The project involves two areas: the project area and the study area.

Trans Associates distributed surveys and questionnaires to collect additional information from residents in the project area: Easterly Parkway, East Beaver Avenue, and University Drive and Pugh Street.

The study area is outlined by University Drive, South Garner Street, and East Foster and East Hamilton avenues.

Goreham said a letter written by the neighbors on Prospect Avenue set the project in motion.

"They initiated a request to reduce traffic on the street," Goreham said. "It runs about twice as many cars as its classification limit."

She added that the limit is 1,000 cars per day.

Borough Council member Cathy Dauler said the traffic study did help with the progression of the traffic-calming policy.

"It finally does define what the major problem is," she said. "That's speed."

She said the residents were "furious" because they think the problem is the number of cars.

Dauler said part of the traffic overflow problem on Prospect Avenue is due to the "trumpet" placed in the intersection of East Foster Avenue and University Drive a few years ago.

She said the triangle-shaped device is designed to force traffic in certain directions by prohibiting left turns onto University Drive from East Foster Avenue and onto East Foster Avenue from University Drive. The result eliminates access to the Penn State campus from East Foster Avenue.

"It restricts turning movements at the corner," Dauler said. "It was very effective...It seemed like a reasonable and logical step to take."

Goreham said this move by the borough created the "unfortunate effect of driving traffic onto Prospect [Avenue]."