Cement blocks keeping cars off pedestrian-only road in Harrison

Bollards that blocked cars from driving on the pedestrian-only portion of Center Street in the Natrona area of Harrison will be replaced, Commissioner William Heasley said.

The bollards were removed when part of the road, closed to vehicles between Spruce and Pond streets, was repaved, and vehicles immediately began driving on it, several residents said.

Kayla Yesenchak, who walks on Center every day with her 3-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter, said they were nearly hit twice.

Making matters worse is that there are no speed limit signs or stop signs at intersections.

“People were flying up and down,” said Yesenchak, who complained to the township.

Ofelia Torres said she also saw people driving on Center Street, which kids use to ride their bikes to and from a park. Yesenchak said she was concerned someone could get hurt because they’re used to the road being a walkway and not needing to watch for cars.

Several large cement blocks at intersections are now keeping vehicles off the road.

Heasley said they were put in place after the township first tried cones and then wooden barricades, which he said disappeared.

Heasley said the township has received new bollards, but is waiting for parts to repair the machine to bore the holes for them. He didn’t know how long it will be until the parts arrive and the bollards are installed.

Until then, with the cement blocks, “Nobody should be able to go up and down with cars,” he said.

The blocks should be enough to keep vehicles off the road, Yesenchak said.

“This is what we needed, something heavier,” she said. “We’re good now. This will work.”

Residents like Torres and Kalei Najanick, who was walking her dog on Center Street, are happy it was paved. “There were potholes everywhere,” Najanick said.

Yesenchak bought a house in Natrona in February.

“I was surprised they paved it,” she said. “It’s a lot nicer.”