Motorists traveling Route 93 toward Nesquehoning will soon see more signs popping up warning tractor-trailers of the steep Broad Mountain.

This afternoon, state, county and local officials, as well as area residents gathered to discuss what can be done to stop the number of crashes occurring as a result of rigs losing their brakes while descending the 2¼-mile hill into the borough of Nesquehoning.Tom Rogal and Ronald Young of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation outlined what the state will be doing as a result of the three crashes in three days along Route 93 and at the intersection of Route 209.Rogal said that within the next month, PennDOT will begin enlarging and enhancing existing warning signs along Route 93, as well as cutting back brush and adding dozens more, essentially doubling the number of signs over a 3-mile span. Currently, there are approximately 38 signs telling truck drivers of the 9 percent grade hill, the truck pull off area and the runaway truck ramp. When PennDOT is done, there will be 87 signs, some that are larger than normal.PennDOT will also begin studying an alternative route for truck traffic, detouring commercial vehicles around the Broad Mountain.Route 93 would then be closed to truck traffic except local deliveries.Young stressed that closing the hill will not happen overnight. Studies to find the best route must be completed and will take upwards to a year to complete.Everyone in attendance agreed that the main reason for the upcoming changes on the Broad Mountain comes down to one thing."Public safety is paramount," Rogal said.The meeting was organized through a collaborative effort between state Rep. Doyle Heffley’s office, state Sen. John Yudichak’s office, Nesquehoning Borough Council, Nesquehoning police, Pennsylvania State Police, the Carbon County Emergency Management Agency, Carbon County Commissioners, local business owners and PennDOT.The Times News will have the complete story in Friday’s paper.