The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has recommended that the speed on upper Conewango Avenue in the City of Warren remain at 35 mph.

A proposal to slow down that portion of road was presented by outgoing City of Warren junior Councilmember Lydia Balas. She cited accidents at the Fifth Avenue intersection as well as school zones on Conewango and Fifth avenues along with the fact that all of the surrounding streets are already 25 mph in calling for the speed to be reduced.

Given that Conewango Avenue is a state road, the city requested PennDOT to undertake a traffic study to consider the proposal.

City of Warren Police Chief Joe Sproveri said the survey came back and determined that the 85th percentile for speed – the target for safety conditions is within 5 miles per hour of the 85th percentile – averaged 34 miles per hour.

He explained that PennDOT’s report found that the road has similar geometrics to other areas with 35 mph zones and a “crash rate lower than the state-wide average for similar roadways.”

The report stated that 35 miles per hour is the most appropriate speed limit for this occasion.

As a result, Sproveri said PennDOT is not recommending a change at this time.