Scranton downtown walkability plan faces some roadblocks

Jun. 23—SCRANTON — A new plan to make the downtown more walkable and safer for pedestrians faces potential roadblocks.

The plan, unveiled Wednesday by Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti and urban design consultant Jeff Speck, proposes major changes, some of which will first need approval from the state Department of Transportation to undertake.

The plan calls for converting several one-way streets to two-way, replacing traffic signals with four-way stop signs at nearly two dozen intersections, "rebuilding" Lackawanna Avenue, incorporating bicycle lanes on certain streets, providing proper crosswalk markings and planting trees on some streetscapes, to name a few recommendations.

The plan could take about five years to fully implement, with some aspects more readily doable than others, said Speck, of Massachusetts-based Speck & Associates. For example, PennDOT has veto power over the removal of traffic signals and would have a say over converting one-way streets to two-way. The city will have to gain PennDOT's okay for such proposals, Speck said. He suggested the city start a social media and outreach campaign with a hashtag, #Scranton2ways.

"We will review the report and work with the city of Scranton as the process continues," PennDOT spokeswoman Jessica Ruddy said in an email.

A type of bicycle lane called a buffered bike lane, proposed for parts of Cedar, South Washington and Mattes avenues in South Side, also would require updated legislation from the Pennsylvania General Assembly.

Civic art

The plan proposes two installations of "civic art."

One calls for converting the triangular parking lot area fronting the Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel into a public space. The parking lot is property of the hotel, which is the historic former train station and offices of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad. The space sits at the entrance and exit of the city at Biden Street. Speck believes the parking lot significantly detracts from the grandeur of the historic hotel. As there are two public parking garages a short walk away, he believes hotel guests would not object to having to use off-site, nearby parking, and the parking lot could be transformed.

Speck suggested calling the new public green space the "Jane Jacobs Square," in tribute to the late Scranton native who was an urbanist guru and leading advocate for preserving dynamic, tightknit neighborhoods. Her landmark 1961 book, "The Death and Life of Great American Cities," redefined views of urban life and led to revolutionary changes in how urban planning is taught and practiced.

"I presume you probably need to convince the Radisson to give up their parking lot," Speck told an audience of about 40 people who attended his presentation Wednesday night at Lackawanna College.

Efforts were unsuccessful Thursday to contact the Radisson for comment.

"World's Best Boss"

The city also has a golden opportunity to exploit and capitalize on beloved the NBC sitcom "The Office" that ended a decade ago but has endured through streaming services, capturing new generations of fans, Speck said. Noting "The Office" was the most streamed television show in 2020, Speck said, "This is not just a hit. This is a world-shaking, nine-season extravaganza that I don't think you guys appreciate enough ... (because) there isn't that much celebration."

"I think maybe you're a little proud and you don't want this to be your world image. I've got news for you. It is your world image. And people love it and they love you because of it. And I think it's a mistake to not hitch your wagon to the star and do something about it," Speck said.

He proposes creating an "Office"-themed walk or park, possibly in the 400 block of Penn Avenue connecting downtown to the Penn Paper building tower that's featured in the show's opening. Such a walk, possibly lined with statues of the show's characters, would draw tourism, he said.

"There might be a better solution, which is to scatter these ('Office' statues) all over your downtown, so that people walk the whole downtown," Speck said.

The connectivity plan is posted on the city website at scrantonpa.gov.

Contact the writer: jlockwood@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5185; @jlockwoodTT on Twitter.

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