Scranton’s $27 Million Streetscape Overhaul Divides Council and Residents

Scranton is preparing to launch one of its largest downtown infrastructure projects in decades — a $27.3 million overhaul of traffic patterns, signals, and sidewalks that officials say will make the city safer and more walkable.

Mayor Paige Cognetti announced the plan last week as City Council introduced three ordinances that would authorize key portions of the project. The changes stem from the 2023 Downtown Connectivity Plan, developed with urban planner Jeff Speck and the firm NelsonNygaard.

What the Plan Does

The proposal would remove several traffic signals and replace them with four-way or two-way stop signs, convert multiple one-way streets back to two-way traffic, and add “curb bump-outs” to shorten crossings and slow vehicles. Around Courthouse Square, two-way traffic would return for the first time since the 1960s.

Officials say the redesign will calm traffic, improve pedestrian visibility, and create roughly 70 new on-street parking spaces. Police Chief Thomas Carroll and Fire Chief John Judge both told council the new street network could improve emergency-response times downtown.

Funding comes largely from federal and state sources, including nearly $14 million in American Rescue Plan dollars. Contracts already awarded include $1.8 million for the first phase of the Lackawanna Avenue streetscape and $171,000 for additional paving work.

Divided Council, Divided Public

The plan’s scope and timing have divided both council and residents. Council members Tom Schuster and Mark McAndrew sought to table votes to allow more public feedback, calling the proposal rushed. Schuster said, “We have a habit of approving these things too fast and when feedback comes in, it’s after the thing has been approved.”

Council President Gerald Smurl and members Bill King and Jessica Rothchild opposed delaying the project, arguing the city has studied it for years. “Slowing down the speed of traffic is what a lot of this is meant to do,” Rothchild said.

The motion to table failed 3–2, and the ordinances advanced on first reading by similar margins.

Residents were equally split. Supporters, including the Lackawanna Blind Association, praised the safety focus. Others called the concept misguided.

Where It Came From

Scranton’s current traffic layout dates back generations, when downtown was designed for cars rather than pedestrians. The 2018 lecture by Speck and former councilman Wayne Evans sparked the city’s interest in walkability reforms. Cognetti continued that push after taking office in 2020, arguing that the downtown needed a “generational transformation.”

According to the administration, the plan will shorten walking distances, clarify turning radiuses, modernize lighting, and eliminate many overhead wires.

What Happens Next

Council will hold second readings on October 21 and could take final votes October 28. The administration says test periods at intersections will allow adjustments before permanent changes are made.

For now, the only thing certain is that Scranton’s downtown is poised for significant change — and that not everyone is convinced it’s the right one.