Politics & Government
Lansdale Collaborative Project Raises Concerns
Residents near the former Lans-Bowl fear increased traffic will jeopardize the safety of their community, a told to Lansdale Public Safety Committee Wednesday night
The Public Safety Committee was met with residents' concerns about the impact of the project on the community at its Wednesday meeting.
the North Penn YMCA, The Peak Center, and Advanced Living Communities under one roof in the former Lans Bowl property.
Residents primarily of Forest, Church, and Highland avenues expressed their many concerns regarding the additional traffic that the YMCA project will generate in an area where cars already “blow through stop signs,” as one resident stated in the meeting.
Find out what's happening in Montgomeryville-Lansdalewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
“There will be an access road placed only eight feet from my fence,” resident John Walz stated. “According to the plans, cars will be able to make a right as well as a left onto Main. Making a left would be suicidal and really affect traffic.”
The committee was asked to consider lowering the speed limit on both Forest and Highland, restrict access of trucks except those making local deliveries, and increase monitoring of traffic by the Lansdale Police Department.
Find out what's happening in Montgomeryville-Lansdalewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The main concern of the residents in attendance was the safety of their children.
“There are no sidewalks or crosswalks to keep them away from motorists speeding down our streets,” one couple explained.
Lansdale Police Chief Robert McDyre made a motion to the committee to lower the speed limit on these streets to 25 mph and have speed limit signs clearly posted for motorists to ease residents' concerns.
Borough Manager Timi Kirchner – who recently returned to the borough from medical leave – thanked those residents in attendance for voicing their concerns and assured them that they would be taken seriously.
“We can’t be everywhere at once. So we thank you for bringing us your concerns based on what you see on a day to day basis,” Kirchner said.
While the committee was able to make a motion to post and lower the speed limit, they were unable to suggest an immediate solution to concerns over trucks using the narrow throughway.
“As far as blocking access to trucks, it is something we will have to look into,” McDyre said. “There are laws and regulations that need to be taken into consideration before we can proceed with anything.”
Councilwoman Mary Fuller and Councilman Michael Sobel handed out their business cards to residents and urged them to contact them with any additional concerns they might have as the YMCA project continues.
Do You Want to Know More?:
