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Road in Poconos Ranked One of the Deadliest in State

COOLBAUGH TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A new study found one of the deadliest roads in Pennsylvania is in the Poconos. Sterling Road in Coolbaugh Township, which is pa...

COOLBAUGH TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- A new study found one of the deadliest roads in Pennsylvania is in the Poconos.

Sterling Road in Coolbaugh Township, which is part of Route 196, ranked 16th in the list of 50 deadliest roads in the state in the study by a law firm in western Pennsylvania.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found seven people were killed in crashes along the road in Monroe County from 2015-2017.

People we spoke to who live nearby weren’t surprised.

“I've seen so many accidents and people wipe out I'm surprised it hasn't been mentioned long before,” Efrain Ramirez of Coolbaugh Township said.

People said that stretch of Route 196 is filled with traffic and pedestrians trying to cross the street. They said drivers are going too fast, especially considering how many blind spots are on the road.

“When you're on those curves and you're going around the curves, sometimes people are going faster than 30 so they can't stop,” Renee Youmans said.

“If somebody is going over the speed limit at 45, they might be going about 50 or 60,” Roland Laguerre said.

PennDOT said there aren't any safety studies in the near future for Route 196 in Coolbaugh Township, but people we spoke to said they hope one is done soon.

“I mean, come on. Look around you. We have so many people that live in the community, and we do need safe roads,” Youmans said.

PennDOT said people can request a safety study by e-mailing or sending a letter to the district office in Allentown.

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