A Tamaqua business owner and legislator have petitioned the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for a mid-block crossing to be installed along a busy state highway where two 5-year-old girls were struck by a car earlier this month.

Larry Padora, owner of Padora’s Italian Bakery, was one of the first people on the scene.Padora said he has witnessed several incidents in this area, and said that motorists are getting into the left-hand turn lane long before the signs inform them of a second lane.He went to state Rep. Jerry Knowles, R-Schuylkill, whose staff wrote to PennDOT on his behalf.The girls, stepsisters, were airlifted to the Lehigh Valley Hospital Trauma Center after they were struck by a car on Route 309 South by Tommy’s Restaurant before the Five Points intersection on June 1.At that time, the girls were crossing Railroad Street, from west to east, with an adult pushing a stroller as the straight travel lane of traffic was stopped.The family was crossing in front of a pickup, which remained stopped. The girls were a step or two in front of the stroller and failed to see a car traveling in the left-turn lane.That driver didn’t see the girls until it was too late, striking them both, knocking them to the ground.The girls were admitted to LVH’s Pediatric ICU in critical condition, with both suffering multiple skull fractures and a fractured pelvis.One of them also has a lacerated spleen, while the other has two broken legs.Tamaqua Police said no charges would be filed in the incident.Sidewalks and crossingsPadora complained about the sidewalks in that area because they do not have the proper pedestrian crossing markings or signs.With the Train Station restaurant reopening, and the Tamaqua Community Center located on Route 309, people are parking in the Tommy’s lot and crossing 309 to get to their destinations in all different areas.Padora feels that one crosswalk should be established and marked to prevent any future tragedies.He also believes PENNDOT should take a look at this section of 309 and see if they can paint lines designating where the turn lane begins to prevent motorists from speeding by traffic.Borough manager Kevin Steigerwalt confirmed that PennDOT has sent the borough information on rules and regulations concerning mid-block crossings.“We don’t have a lot of those,” Steigerwalt said. “I can think of maybe one or two we have in town.”Steigerwalt said the actual decision as to whether such a crossing would be placed at that specific area is ultimately PennDOT’s decision, since Route 309 is a state highway.“There is nothing in the works right now,” he said. “We have the information from PennDOT, and we’ll be looking at it.”Steigerwalt added, “Any intersection can be dangerous if drivers don’t follow all the rules or drive recklessly.”“You have to drive very defensively and be very defensive when you’re driving streets,” he said. “My concern isn’t so much the design and layout of a roadway as much as the other drivers on the road.”