Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Route 202 woes may increase
Planned development projects could add to traffic congestion
CHADDS FORD >> Should a developer consider the opinions of residents impacted by commercial development?
About 60 Chadds Ford residents who packed the meeting room at the township building think so. They heard an update on plans to build a 190,000 square foot shopping center, with 1,000 parking spots, in nearby Concord Township.
At a special meeting, Chadds Ford officials and the public grappled with “quality of life” and traffic impact issues, during Monday’s meeting.
Plans to build, for what is now a proposed Pettinaro shopping center, “Shops at Ridge Road,” at the Route 202 and Ridge Road intersection, were approved by Concord Township about a decade ago.
Residents were most concerned about the proposed widening of Ridge Road from two to six lanes. Approved plans call for Ridge Road to act as the only entrance and exit for the center.
“While the community always knew the land was zoned com-
mercial, the proposed size and scope of the shopping center and entrance on Ridge is much larger than anyone would have imagined,” said Carolyn Daniels, founder of Chadds Ford Neighbors Against More Traffic. “We are asking the Pettinaro company and our local Chadds Ford and Concord Township officials to be respectful of the community and at a minimum change the access to the center, off Ridge Road to Route 202.”
Supervisor Frank Murphy fielded most of the more than two dozen audience questions.
Murphy explained that the builder had already received permission to expand Ridge Road rather than directly feeding center traffic on to Route 202.
“This is clearly a commercial property — zoned for a shopping center — a by-right use,” he said. “People own private property and they’re allowed to build on it.”
Murphy updated the audience on the project. He said that center construction is likely stalled due to what is colloquially referred to as “Condition 19.”
Murphy said that as part of the agreement, Chadds Ford supervisors must issue a letter concerning certain traffic improvements for the center to be built.
“No such letter has been issued, and the official position of the township is that such a letter will not be issued until we’re satisfied that Chadds Ford’s resident’s concerns are addressed.”
Murphy said that, in part, his January 2017 letter to Concord Township stating Chadds Ford’s intentions sparked the builder to launch a lawsuit against Concord Township.
Township Engineer Michael Schneider, discussed the difference between older traffic counts used by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and those performed in 2017 by the township.
The study used by PennDOT was originally performed in 2010 and updated in 2014. It was designed to reflect 2019 traffic levels, when the project is projected to be completed.
The township traffic count included some new development along the Route 202 Corridor that was not considered by PennDOT. It shows a 10 percent increase in traffic congestion.
“The volumes are not very far apart,” Schneider said. “They are similar. It’s yet to be seen how a difference in volume will make a difference in delay.”
Based on traffic counts, PennDOT gave the expansion of Ridge Road to six lanes the green light.
Schneider said the PennDOT count only took into consideration the intersection at Ridge Road and Route 202. He said that further study by the township should also include the “pinch point” at the intersection of routes 202 and 1, the state’s busiest intersection.
A future study should include the impact of the proposed Toll Brother’s 317 home subdivision at routes 202 and 926 in Westtown Township, the engineer said.
Schneider will further discuss the traffic counts at Chadds Ford’s regular Board of Supervisor’s meeting on Wednesday, May 31, at 7 p.m., at the township building.