Traffic onto and from the Coplay-Northampton Bridge is backed up daily during the commuter rush hour on weekdays.

Particularly making traffic worse are the turning lanes, but traffic congestion could become greater with the closing of the Hokendauqua-North Catasauqua Bridge on Main Street in Northampton.

Traffic concerns were raised at the recent meeting of Northampton Borough Council.

Borough resident Donald Szerencits approached borough lawmakers by complimenting council on "doing a great job ... I appreciate that."

Szerencits then referred to the closing of the Hokendauqua-North Catasauqua Bridge and raiased the issue of traffic backed up at Ninth and Main streets.

"Something needs to be worked on, quickly and shortly," Szerencits said in his address to council.

It was mentioned there is always a bottleneck at Mario's and Ninth and Main streets. The backup of vehicles takes place with northbound traffic on Main Street which then has to wait to turn left onto the bridge. A similar problem has traffic backing up virtually the entire length of the bridge in the late afternoon.

Often vehicles waiting in the turn lane on Main Street to make a left onto the bridge go through two or more traffic light cycles before making the turn onto the bridge. Simply put, motorists as well as borough officials said, a green arrow on the traffic signals would do much to alleviate the traffic backup.

Councilmen Anthony Lopsonzski Sr. and Robert Coleman agreed with Szerencits that there is a problem with traffic flow at the intersection.

"I would suggest we get PennDOT to take a look at it," Borough Manager Gene Zarayko said.

Cautioning, Zarayko added, " Right now we don't know," referring to what impact the bridge closure will have at the Ninth and Main intersection.

"How are you going to analyze something?" Zarayko asked, referring to the traffic backup occuring now and asking what happens when the Hokendauqua-North Catasauqua Bridge is shut down. He also asked where the detour signs direct traffic to go.

Since it is local people driving, it is expected most drivers will not change their routes. Other alternatives include the Cementon-Northampton Bridge at Route 329 (21st Street), which has an excessive amount of traffic, the West Catasauqua-Catasauqua Bridge or the Race Street Bridge, located down from the spans.

In the past the borough did request PennDOT to address the Ninth and Main streets intersection, but it was rebuffed.