CLARKSBURG -- The Harrison County Development Authority is opposing a planned traffic light at the top of Bridgeport Hill.

Executive Director Joe Gero has drafted a letter to the state on behalf of the authority members. Gero planned to give the opposition letter to state Division of Highways officials at Wednesday's Harrison County Transportation Study meeting in West Milford.

The $860,000 project will consist of opening the median, constructing a left turn lane from the eastbound lanes and a left turn lane on Old Bridgeport Hill. The plan also calls for a "fully actuated traffic signal," which traffic operations engineer Roger Russell said responds to traffic.

This means a vehicle in the left turn lane on Route 50 will only stop westbound traffic. Likewise, only vehicles in the left turn lane on Old Bridgeport Hill will trip the light. Traffic turning right onto Route 50 won't affect the light, he said.

Construction is expected to begin in May and be completed by August, Russell said.

The development authority has opposed the light and turn lane for several years, Gero said.

Another public comment meeting on the transportation study is from 6:30-8:30 p.m. today at the Harrison County Senior Center in Clarksburg.

"A traffic light only brings more accidents," said authority member Bernard Folio. "It's really only accommodating a few businesses who really don't contribute anything to either community -- Clarksburg or Bridgeport.

"Those businesses don't belong to the city of Bridgeport or the city of Clarksburg," he said. "They're just looking to take care of their own businesses in a private way without being good business neighbors."

Not everyone on the authority opposes the light, however.

Authority member Roger Diaz said he supports the light, because the state has conducted studies and traffic engineers have concluded the light will not create a significant hazard.

Diaz also said the light and turn lane could conceivably open up that area for expansion and development.

Folio also said stopped traffic on Route 50 could lead to backed up traffic on Interstate 79.

Staff writer Jim Fisher can be reached at 626-1446 or by e-mail at jfisher@exponent-telegram.com