Burns gets $52,747 grant to improve Ebensburg pedestrian safety
West High Street-Julian Street intersection addressed
Rep. Frank Burns June 23, 2025 | 9:12 AM
EBENSBURG, June 23 – Pedestrian safety at a busy downtown Ebensburg Borough intersection is being heightened by installation of two rapid flashing crosswalk beacon lights to alert drivers – made possible by a $52,747 state grant secured by state Rep. Frank Burns.
“My office set up a meeting with the borough officials and PennDOT to discuss complaints by residents concerning safety issues with them crossing West High Street and Julian Street,” Burns said. “At the meeting (Burns volunteer staffer) Charlie Vizzini told everyone our office would assist in finding a solution to address the safety concerns. I secured funding to help slow traffic down and notify drivers of pedestrian crossings.”
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“I secured funding to help slow traffic down and notify drivers of pedestrian crossings.” – Rep. Frank Burns.
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Danea Koss, Ebensburg’s community development director, said the beacon lights being added to the crosswalks are “very high visibility, flashing lights around the actual crosswalk sign,” making motorists more inclined to stop for pedestrians.
“It’s become a busier intersection,” Koss said. “Through the summer months, we have concerts in Gazebo Park down there. It’s a high traffic area, with a dance school on the corner.
“We’ve had some close calls at that intersection in the past. It came up at a council meeting, where people were concerned. That brought it to the forefront, and we wanted to address it.”
Koss said the state grant would likely end up paying for half of the project cost “because of the way the bids came in.”