Supervisors discuss lighting at Highway 30

VINTON — Benton County Supervisors discussed lighting at intersections on Highway 30 during its Sept. 24 meeting.

Benton County Engineer Myron Parizek said the Department of Transportation treats intersections with county roads differently than roads in their own system.

The DOT feels the paved intersections with county roads do not warrant increased light other than destination lighting, defined as one light at an intersection.

The DOT might be receptive to two destination lights at the Van Horne/Blairstown corner, Parizek said.

Supervisor Gary Bierschenk said he’d like to see six lights at that intersection.

Parizek said he is researching lighting for the intersection as well as funding for it.

Bierschenk said the intersection is a school intersection and has a lot of traffic. There are many accidents there, and something needs to be done, he said.

There are intersections with more lights, said Parizek, but these are roads that the county inherited from the state when jurisdiction was transferred.

Supervisors set a land use hearing for Tuesday, Oct. 22 at 9:15 a.m. for Morgan and Matthew Ollinger, for Parcel A, Section 9, Big Grove Township.

Supervisors approved a land-use change for David Kearney of Mitch’s Auto Body for land in Section 17, Taylor Township. Land Use Administrator Matt Even said that 0.43 acres of land just north of Vinton on Highway 218 is to be used for used car sales.

The land is not in production, said Even, and it’s compatible with surrounding land uses.

Kearney said the parcels will have 10 to 15 cars, with only a few cars on the county parcel. He said he will keep the land cleaned up, neat and tidy.

Supervisors approved a gift of $1,000 to the Luzerne Fire Department from the Local Option Sales and Services Tax Fund.

The board approved a resolution removing bridge embargo for a bridge on 17th Ave. in Big Grove Township northeast of Keystone.

The meeting closed with discussion on the courthouse clock, which now has no hands. Supervisor Chairman Richard Primmer said he heard someone will be there in mid-December to reinstall the clock.

However, he did not know what needed to be done before the installation and did not know who is on the clock committee. Supervisor Tracy Seeman said he’d check into it.