State College announces move-in dates, traffic patterns for downtown apartments — not without debate
State College will partially close off several roads and alter traffic patterns in August to better allow Penn State students to move in to downtown apartments, as it does every year — but the move wasn’t without debate Monday by the borough council.
Councilman Evan Myers wanted to know what move-in plans and provisions the apartment complexes had to prevent a breakout of COVID-19. Although few specifics were offered Monday, both the borough manager and assistant borough manager emphasized that apartments requesting closures must have a COVID-19 safety plan approved by the local health board.
Plus, they added, voting “no” on such a measure — having no such road closures or traffic changes — wouldn’t make the borough any safer.
“Will it be perfect? No,” said assistant borough manager Tom King. “But will it better than if we do nothing? It will be better from a standpoint of having a COVID plan in place, and it will definitely be better from a standpoint of traffic flow and traffic congestion and not having cars parking everywhere and anywhere and having no ability to try to manage the best we can.”
The borough council unanimously approved the move-in plans, which included the following:
- Partial left lane closure of the 400 block of West College Avenue, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Aug. 14-15 for The Metropolitan’s student move-in.
- Partial right lane closure of the 600 block of East College Avenue and High Street (between Wilson Alley and East College Avenue), from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., from Aug. 20-22 for the University Gateway’s and Meridian’s student move-in.
- Temporary traffic change pattern on H Alley to one-way, from West Calder Way to West Beaver Avenue, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Aug. 22 to allow for The Graduate student move-in.
- Road closure of East Calder Way from Garner Street to Hiester Street and Hiester Street from East Calder Way to East Beaver Avenue, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., from Aug. 21-23 for The Here student move-in.
- Temporary traffic change pattern on Hetzel Street (between East Beaver Avenue and East Calder Way), from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., from Aug 1-16, for student move-in.
- Temporary traffic pattern on East Calder Way to be one-way (eastbound) between Hetzel and High Streets and (westbound) between Hetzel and South Garner Streets, from Aug. 14-24, for student move-in.
“Nothing we’re recommending for the street closures, we believe, are going to do anything to further exacerbate or make worse the situation,” King added. “It’s not going to necessarily make it all go away. But I think that having traffic flow better and having the apartment buildings who have requested these approvals have some level of responsibility for monitoring this is better than doing nothing.”
Added council member Theresa Lafer: “I agree with you there. We do need to have some control over the traffic patterns and a large number of parts and things. I’m just not certain that it isn’t, from a public health standpoint, a serious problem.”
The borough plans to vote on an ordinance, in regards to mask enforcement, during a special meeting Aug. 4. (The council has the power, though it might not exercise it, to have the local police department issue fines to those not wearing masks in the borough.) Lafer wondered aloud if the special meeting could be moved up any further, since one move-in date begins Aug. 1 — before the ordinance vote.
But she was told the timeline could not be hastened. The local health board will be presented with an ordinance by July 28, and the borough manager and solicitor need time to tweak and research based on the health board’s recommendations.
On campus, Penn State continues to finalize its move-in plans for the dorms. Although the university has acknowledged that it will stagger move-in dates, likely starting a week before the official Aug. 21 move-in date, it hasn’t formally released any specifics.
On the university’s Arrival website, the five dates for the check-in schedule all remain “TBA.” When asked Tuesday morning for a timeline on when those dates might be finalized, a Penn State spokesperson said the university will “soon” reach out to students and families with more details.
Penn State students will find their dorm room and roommate assignment by noon July 28.
This story was originally published July 21, 2020 at 10:32 AM.
