County planners schedule meeting, open survey for Rt. 72/Cornwall Road corridors

The Lebanon County Planning Department and the Lebanon County Metropolitan Planning Organization are seeking input from local residents as well as anyone who travels the State Route 72 and Cornwall Road corridors between Oak Street in Lebanon and Route 419.

The study area covers parts of Lebanon City, Cornwall Borough, and North Cornwall and West Cornwall townships.

The planning organizations have partnered with WSP to conduct a transportation study of the corridors. Participants can attend an open house to learn more about the topic or answer a 5- to 10-minute survey online.

The open house will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan, 14, at the Lebanon County Department of Emergency Services, 1805 Cornwall Road, Lebanon. Interested parties can come at any time during the two-hour session, examine informational boards on display, provide input, and learn more about the issue from the engineers and planners involved in the study.

The online survey will be available through Jan. 19. Responses are anonymous.

Route 72 is a north-south principal arterial connecting Lebanon to Lancaster and the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Cornwall Road is a parallel corridor serving local and regional traffic. Both corridors, according to a release on the survey, “have experienced growth, congestion, and safety challenges.”

The study will evaluate traffic operations, safety, pedestrian and bicycle access, and access to adjacent properties. Public feedback will help identify issues and shape recommendations to improve safety, mobility, and access for all users, the release says.

The survey asks questions such as how often the respondent travels on Route 72 or Cornwall Road, their primary mode of transportation, how safe they feel while traveling in the area, regional challenges (such as congestion at intersections and lack of pedestrian crossings), and the types of improvements respondents would prefer to see there.

Questions about the study should be addressed to Jon Fitzkee of the Lebanon County Planning Department at (717) 274-2801, ext. 2339.