Plans eyed to improve sections of Routes 73, 663.
Plans to improve the western intersection of Routes 663 and 73 are underway with an eye toward starting work in 2018.
Those who regularly drive through the doglegged intersection know that the precarious left turns from Route 73 onto Route 663 — and vice versa — can be hair-raising.
Each road carries between 7,000 and 10,000 vehicles per day, according to a presentation made to the township supervisors by their traffic consultants, McMahon Transportation Engineers and Planners.
But on the small section of the road both routes share, the daily volume jumps to about 15,000 vehicles.
To make things more difficult, it is one this busier section of the routes that Ludwig Road intersections with both at an intersection with sight-lines limited by horizontal and vertical curves in the road, a stone wall and a historic building.
Originally, the township had approached PennDOT about putting traffic signals at the affected intersections, but the state’s engineers prefer a widened road and left-turn lanes.
The presentation outlined that plan during March 27’s meeting.
Township Manager Jamie Gwynn said the engineers are working up the specifications for the bids now, but there is no formal timeline for the project, although 2018 is the goal.
There is also no cost estimate yet for the road work.
However, the township will be responsible for the cost of the project, which it will pay out of its Act 209 fund, which is a pot of money to which developers contribute when the traffic their housing projects will generate has been calculated.
Gwynn said state grants are also a possibility, but it is too soon to say if any will be available or be obtained.