Another summer has come and gone and Butler's downtown traffic gridlock remains — and apparently stands to get somewhat worse because of the new Wayne Street Viaduct construction.

The headaches for southbound traffic on Main Street have been made worse in recent days by Main Street excavation work near Wayne Street. But traffic congestion was bad before this digging, and the associated lane restrictions made it worse.

In Washington, D.C., the current Democratic-controlled Congress has been criticized as a Do-Nothing Congress, like so many before. In Butler — at least in terms of resolving the city's prolonged traffic-flow mess — it would be reasonable to label the city council a Do-Nothing Council.

Councilman Joseph Bratkovich, in a telephone interview several weeks ago on the topics of a winter streets maintenance plan and the traffic-flow issue, acknowledged the situation. Bratkovich also admitted that he, like many other motorists, tries to avoid Main Street because of the difficulty getting through town.

Apparently Bratkovich, who heads the city's streets department, hasn't been persistent enough in trying to persuade his council colleagues that some kind of action is overdue.

The traffic gridlock and parking challenges have caused many motorists to avoid the business district or to just get through town as quickly as possible. The attitude of many motorists, judging from the amount of traffic on side streets and in alleys, is clearly to avoid Main Street.

Yet, year after year, the gridlock persists and, year after year, the city's leaders seem impotent or maybe disinterested in improving the situation.

In recent letters to the editor, Butler Eagle readers have criticized the pedestrian-crossing buttons for fouling the traffic flow. No doubt that is part of the problem.

Then there are the motorists who block intersections, knowing full well that they will be adding to the traffic mess. Police aren't anywhere nearby to observe the situation and to ticket the offenders.

People who block an intersection in some cities know that they either face a ticket or at least a scolding from a police officer. In Butler, the police department seems oblivious to any responsibility in terms of helping traffic movement.

Meanwhile, if those whom the city hires to deal with traffic control issues and signal sequencing are incapable of easing the gridlock, the city should bring in another company to try to resolve the situation.

Officials of the state Department of Transportation have told the Butler Eagle that the state highway agency can make recommendations regarding traffic-control issues, but that it is the city's responsibility to implement them. In fact, a PennDOT official said recommendations had been made.

Apparently, those recommendations were put aside and forgotten.

Thus, because of the gridlock mentality encompassing the city building, motorists traveling on Jefferson Street oftentimes have to stop four times in the short distance between McKean Street and Chestnut Street, with the light at Jefferson and Washington streets holding up Jefferson traffic for an inordinate amount of time.

And, there are situations like what exists at Main and Wayne streets where there is only a left-turn arrow for southbound traffic; northbound traffic wanting to turn onto West Wayne Street must wait for an opening in oncoming traffic.

Main Street traffic on both sides of the light should have turn arrows that activate at the same time.

Adding to the maddening traffic-light situation here are the excessive number of four-way stops at so many neighborhood intersections.

But, again, nobody in power seems to care about the negative impact to the community's image from the traffic headaches that are so dominant here.

That attitude must change.

When he last spoke with the Eagle, Bratkovich said he would be seeking efforts by his council colleagues in regard to the traffic flow situation — but that wasn't publicly discussed in the month just passed.

Meanwhile, despite the impending Wayne Street Viaduct project, this city council has had plenty of time, despite its other challenges, to address traffic flow, or at least to bring in some outside expertise to look at the problems.

People should be welcomed to downtown Butler, not be deterred by the current reality that passing through Butler means wasting a lot of time — and gasoline — to travel a relatively short distance.