Traffic light proposed for five points Lederach intersection

PennDOT to fix 3 bridges next year along Route 63

It looks like the five points intersection of Route 113, Cross Road, Salfordville Road, Morris Road and Old Skippack Pike is getting a traffic light.

Now the question is whether it will be temporary or permanent.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is planning to rebuild three bridges next year on Route 63 in Upper Salford — two over the Unami Creek and one over the East Branch of the Perkiomen Creek, Lower Salford’s traffic engineer, Stephanie Butler, said at the June 6 Lower Salford Township Board of Supervisors morning work session.

The planned detour for truck traffic will be Route 29 to Route 73 to Route 113 in Skippack, then Route 113 to Route 63 in Lower Salford, she said.

“This is a very long detour for trucks,” Butler said.

She said she understands the reason PennDOT chose that detour for the trucks, though.

“They have to keep them on state highways and there’s just not a lot of options,” Butler said.

The planned car detour also has Route 29 at one end, but uses Old Sumneytown Pike to connect back to Route 63, she said.

PennDOT is proposing a traffic light be added to the Lederach intersection during the detour and is asking if the township would rather see the traffic signal be temporary or be kept permanently, she said.

Adding the traffic light is projected to result in backups on Route 113 at the light, she said.

“We are looking at 1,300 feet northbound and 900 feet southbound in the p.m. peak; a.m. is 394 northbound and 800 southbound,” Butler said. “Just to give you some perspective, the 1,300 feet queue is only back to Sharon Lane.”

Road changes may also be needed along with the traffic light, she said. Suggestions that have been raised include making a portion of Old Morris Road and Old Skippack Road oneway going in the direction away from Route 113, she said. Cul-de-sacs have also been suggested, she said.

Board Chairman Douglas Gifford said his concern is for the people living on the side roads at the intersection.

“I can avoid that intersection, and I think a lot of people will do that,” Gifford said, “because there are options if you’re coming north, but the people who live on Salfordville Road and Old Skippack Road really don’t have any options.”

There appears to be enough traffic at the intersection to warrant a permanent traffic signal, Township Manager Joe Czajkowski said.

A Route 113 bypass around the Lederach intersection has been discussed for several years but never completed. Board member Douglas Johnson said he doesn’t think the township should spend money on the proposed traffic light if the state was planning to build the bypass in a few years, but it doesn’t look like that will happen.

Under the current proposal, the state would pay for the traffic light installation, with the township then paying for future maintenance, township officials said.

“Since I have no faith whatsoever the bypass is ever going to get funded, at least not during my lifetime, this does give us an opportunity to at least improve the intersection at mostly PennDOT’s cost, so I think it would be foolish not to,” Johnson said.

While the board appeared to favor having the traffic light be made permanent, there will be discussion with nearby residents and businesses before plans for accompanying changes, such as the suggested oneways or cul-de-sacs, are finalized, township officials said.