Police Chief Announces Traffic Plan for Fall Foliage

Jim Thorpe residents have come to resent the Fall Foliage Festival. But, this year the congested streets will be no more.

Police Chief, Joseph Schatz, attended an Olympian Current press conference last week where he announced that there will be 2 shuttle buses bringing people to and from parking lots located out of town.

But what happened last year for the need of such revisions to be necessary?

One Fall Foliage Ago

During the last weekend of October there were 3 major events; Fall Foliage, the Halloween Parade, and the Kalahari FBLA trip departure.

"It was around 8 O'clock when my officers called me and they said "Chief, the town is gridlocked." You could not move around, traffic was at a standstill." -Chief Schatz

As anyone within the borough has rights, shutting down was not an option.

So instead the traffic plan issued officers that held ten minute intervals at the lights. After a few hours of controlling the lights and stopping pedestrians from crossing the roads, around 6 PM the police team was able to clear everything out.

While sirens exist, issues like this present a danger when emergency vehicles need to pass.

And the more apparent dilemma is that it's an extreme annoyance to both borough residents and those in greater Carbon County who rely on being able to access town.

How is it being Fixed?

The Chief and the police force have brought in FEM (Federal Emergency Management) and many other groups to create a committee to provide a better approach in the future beyond just the police.

The main issue with road clarity was the narrowness of the heights. So, in working with Penndot, this area will be changed to have one way out and one way in, preventing gridlock.

As for parking, the new goal is for majority of it to be outside of the town entirely.

Parking Lots and Shuttles

Pocono Whitewater will be parking around 200 cars, with Mauch Chunk Lake Park and Sam Miller Field will hold a significant number of cars as well.

The Mauch Chunk Lake bus is a county shuttle through LANTA, which means it is mainly funded by federal taxpayer money, and the other portion is covered by the county itself.

Pocono Whitewater is charging for the use, just as LANTA is.

The shuttles hold between 16-29 passengers each, and there will be 4 buses in the Mauch Chunk Lake rotation.

Pocono White Water will have a $5 fee for a shuttle ticket with free parking, and Sam Miller Park will have a flat $20 cash only parking charge.

Mauch Chunk Lake will have a pre-paid and reserved $25 parking fee that includes two shuttle tickets, with a $3 additional charge.

Pocono Whitewater will do its pick up and drop off at LiveWell Empowerment (30 River Street), Mauch Chunk Lake at the Opera House (Hill Road).

The shuttles will start September 28th and continue only every Saturday and Sunday until November 3rd.

Immaculate Conception Church Parking

Located in town next to the Old Jail Museum on West Broadway, every weekend day in October the Church will offer parking for $25 cash or $27 for credit.

Self-parking during the week will be $20, but overnight parking is not permitted and all cars must be out of the lot by 9 PM.

Steam Trains

"The steam trains coming in carry anywhere from 1200-1500 people, and these people get right off and just start walking around." -Chief Schatz

They have hired a security firm this year, but a crowd will always be inevitable as it's realistically the goal.

But even with a successful tourism season, the borough aims to pinch point these pedestrians and prevent them from walking into the street wherever they would like, which slows down traffic.

The town is ready to now jump into the festival with the most prepared police team seen in years previous.

-Kaylee Tate, EIC