Pocono News Section

More Signs Put Up on Deadly Route 309

More Signs Put Up on Deadly Route 309 - Friday, June 19, 2009 at 4:59PM EST

Reported by: Kyla Campbell
Friday, Jun 19, 2009 @ 04:59pm EST

ASHLEY, LUZERNE COUNTY -- A PennDOT crew installs one of 30 signs along Route 309 Friday morning, not far from the entrance to Bentley's.

"We're trying to enhance safety, putting in advisory signs to get people to slow down," said Mike Romanowski, Highway Foreman with PennDOT.

The added road signs come after a horrific accident May 10th. Craig Lear was waiting in the northbound lane to turn into Bentley's for a car show, when he was hit from behind and killed.

It's something Bentley's general manager, Michael Sura, never wants to see again.

"With the amount of people coming to the facility, it's important to us, the safety of all the customers coming in and out," said Sura.

PennDOT officials tell us they're not changing the speed limit here - it's 45 miles per hour. But they're putting up signs that caution drivers to go 35 m. p.h.

"With the rumble strips and the signage PennDOT is putting up, it's really taking the pressure off us," added Sura.

The rumble strips are in the left northbound lane, and PennDOT will keep message boards along Route 309 as traffic is expected to increase with Bentley's grand opening this weekend. Sura expects a fun time, but more importantly, a safe weekend.

"We're excited to have all our doors open and welcome everybody in," he said.