Commissioner Chris Lukasevich called it “Trafficgeddon.”

Wayne Nothstein, the commissioners’ chairman, said it was “The Perfect Storm.”

And it’s a good bet that thousands of people in hundreds of vehicles stuck in traffic or shepherded through Jim Thorpe after being told to keep moving on Oct. 28 had, ahem, some choice words of their own.

That’s because for the first time in its history, all roads leading to the Carbon County seat - and the parking areas they lead to - were closed.

For this column – with a nod to Mr. Lukasevich - let’s call it “Carmageddon.”

The final weekend of the borough’s annual Fall Festival proved to be more than anyone bargained for.

Police Chief Joseph Schatz deployed all available officers the afternoon of Oct. 28 to deal with the gridlock created when two-lane roads filled to capacity. He said that traffic-wise, the festival was the worst in his 27 years with the department.

The county parking lot in Jim Thorpe, which holds more than 500 vehicles, was closed by 9:30 a.m. while the lots at Mauch Chunk Lake Park quickly hit their limit. Sam Miller Field, often an overflow site, wasn’t available because of a Halloween trunk-or-treat event.

Add to that the annual Halloween Parade on the borough’s east side and an event later Saturday in Lehighton and the day had all the fixin’s of clogged arteries and a heart blockage.

Social media exploded at the news of the closings. Reactions were mixed.

Some folks chalked up the situation to the events’ popularity and a shared fondness of how the borough’s Victorian styling coupled with the beauty of Mother Nature’s color show.

Others, though, weren’t as understanding, pointing to the overcrowded conditions as a reason to not return.

While many of the locals called the mess a consequence of living in a tourist-based location, others were outright upset at their inability to get to or from their homes easily.

Many were concerned about the ability - or inability - of emergency vehicles to respond if they were needed.

That was a major issue with Chief Schatz, who directed his officers to do the best they could at creating traffic intervals at Routes 209 and 903 to try to keep vehicles moving through the borough and allow pedestrians to cross. Given the circumstances, police did yeoman’s work when dealing with the congestion. But they can only do so much.

Lukasevich said the conditions diminished the experience of downtown visitors, limiting access to restaurants, restrooms and activities in general. Nothstein said that First Street in neighboring Lehighton was closed for an event, adding to the congestion.

In a story published Oct. 30, Schatz said a comprehensive solution was needed. He said he intended to assemble a discussion next year to prevent what he called a dangerous situation from happening again.

That solution might be right down the road.

A little bit down Route 209 toward Lehighton, Carbon County owns the former Packerton Yards, a good-sized piece of land that’s right now doing nothing.

For those not familiar, the almost 60-acre brownfields site was once home to a Lehigh Valley Rail Road repair facility and was bought by the county in 2005. The county has entertained several proposals for the site, but pegged its future on industry.

These days, though, parking makes more sense. Especially after the Oct. 28 debacle.

Why not use part of the Packerton site to accommodate cars? Just 10 acres could handle between 800 and 1,000 vehicles, according to some quick internet estimates.

Cars coming from the south could use the lot. Parking could be free, but event attendees might pay a fee to be shuttled to and from the site. That would cut vehicle traffic in the downtown area, and a “left turn only” exit could point travelers back toward Lehighton, where businesses there might benefit, too.

Or the county could expand its kiosk system to handle parking payments, then offer free shuttles to Jim Thorpe or concurrent events in Lehighton or Weissport.

The lot could also handle overflow from the current county-owned site in Jim Thorpe, if needed, at half the traffic flow of current events downtown.

The north lot in Jim Thorpe could be used in a similar fashion. Shuttles might transport visitors to sites in Lansford or Summit Hill, making tourism a truly regional effort.

A two lot system could thin the traffic flow through downtown, easing access for emergency responders. For locals, it may make navigating access to and from their homes easier. Limiting access from the highway to the Liberties and unlocking the gridlock on Center Avenue might make residents a little happier.

Less traffic would make navigating an event friendlier for pedestrians.

Added fees from parking or shuttles could help pay for enforcement and even help adjacent communities defray any cost for added police, if needed.

Possible? Maybe. Practical? Depends on your point of view. Needed? Ask the folks who experienced Oct. 28.

Think about it. Brownfields repurposed. Traffic eased. Pedestrian-friendly movement. Maybe even an extra few bucks from a self-supporting endeavor.

“Carmageddon” quelled?

And though they could, they wouldn’t even have to pave a parking lot to bring a downtown festival a little closer to paradise.

ED SOCHA/TNEDITOR@TNONLINE.COM

Ed Socha is a retired newspaper editor with more than 40 years experience in community journalism. Reach him at tneditor@tnonline.com.

The foregoing opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board or Times News LLC.