MIFFLINTOWN ­– When it comes to residents being safe on the roads in the borough, Mifflintown Mayor Roxann McGinnis said protecting their welfare is priceless.

“We’ve got to do what we have to do to keep our residents safe,” McGinnis said.

Her comments were made earlier in September at a Mifflintown Borough Council, which is making a concerted effort to prevent vehicle accidents after a recent crash on Orange Street.

“Something has to be done,” McGinnis remarked during the public meeting. “I really would like mirrors, stop signs and do not enter stencils or signs.”

Those items certainly come with a price tag that makes it difficult to set them in motion. The bottom line: It’s difficult for drivers to see if the way is clear exiting alleys along Orange Street, McGinnis said.

“You cannot see traffic coming up or someone coming down the wrong way,” McGinnis added. “There are cars parked and you have to get out – almost to the middle of the street – before you can see.”

Orange Street is just one example. There are concerns about other streets in the borough, she said.

McGinnis explained that stop signs are not required in alleys, which makes her petrified that a child on a bicycle could be injured by a passing vehicle. “That is one busy, busy street,” she added of Orange Street.

McGinnis favored having mirrors installed in the area, so drivers and others could see what might be coming out of their line of sight. Council members warned that could be an expensive venture, especially if residents petition for mirrors to be placed throughout the borough.

Another council member suggested hiring law enforcement to write tickets for drivers who don’t follow the signs, but McGinnis and others said that simply isn’t financially feasible.

The council opted to stencil arrows to point drivers in the direction they have to turn. In the coming weeks, a stencil will be used to paint “stop” and “do not enter” at certain points in the area, including alleys that intersect Orange Street and also the end near Route 35 across from the firehouse.

McGinniss and other borough officials – from maintenance/code enforcement – also spoke with agencies like the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and even the Juniata County Sheriff’s Department about her concerns. “They went to look at this situation,” she said. “There’s a lot of activity on this one-way street.”

The mayor hopes after some observation and analysis, PennDOT might come up with some suggestions.

“It’s very highly traveled, and something serious can happen,” she added. “Whatever we can do.”

The sheriff is going to keep an eye out and try to educate people.

“If we can just get it safe again then we can see what we can do to help residents recognize what can happen,” McGinnis said.