The Town Council and Planning Commission turned to county and state officials Monday night for help solving traffic problems.

County public works, State Highway Administration and state planning representatives attended the transportation conference at Baldwin's Restaurant to give the town advice about its comprehensive traffic study.

"Our major need is to do a focus study of traffic problems in town and along Route 32," Town Manager James L. Schumacher said.

The study would include a summary of traffic problems, possible traffic flow revisions, a capital program with cost estimates and determining who would be responsible for various projects.

The increasing traffic problems have been attributed to growth in the town and surrounding areas.

Schumacher said the study would cost approximately $10,000 to $18,000, money the town doesn't have now. Town officials would like the county or state to study their respective roads, or suggest appropriate consultants.

A major concern is Route 32 and its many intersections, most of them without traffic signals. A future concernis the intersection of Route 32 and the realigned Obrecht Road.

"We've been working on the intersection at Sandosky and Raincliffe roads, looking at four lanes with a turn signal," said Gene Straub, SHA assistant district engineer.

"We're very concerned about the plan for Obrecht Road and Route 32. Maybe we can close the Springfield Avenue cutoff for that."

The state would make any decision for traffic lights along Route 32, Straub said. If a signal is needed because of increased development, the state will try to pass some of the cost to the developer.

For work on a major highway like Route 32, Straub said town and county officials should work with the legislative delegation to give it a high priority in the SHA capital program.

Town engineer Robert Bond suggested the state do an overall analysis of Route 32 and project what traffic will be like in five years.

Schumacher noted the town has several deficient roads and intersections which will worsen with increased development, as a county study last year indicated.

The town has studied extending some roads and widening others to ease the problem by creating more through roads out of town, he said.

"The county is setting up traffic impact study guidelines for developers on the level of impact their development has oncounty and state roads," said Keith Kirschnick, county public works director. "If there's a problem, they can come back with an alternative to improve the level of service," he said.