Board OKs southbound truck ban on Derstine Road

TOWAMENCIN » Changes could be coming soon to a dangerous stretch of Derstine Road in Towamencin.

The township’s supervisors voted Wednesday night to approve a ban on some truck traffic on that roadway, as police reported on safety stats they’ve seen since summer.

“We have some good news tonight: on our agenda, we have authorization for staff to prepare and advertise an ordinance for the truck restrictions in the other direction — in other words, the southbound direction,” said board Chairman Chuck Wilson.

“Simultaneously with the preparation of that ordinance, staff and our traffic engineer will look at necessary signage, both for the new restriction and to beef up the previous restrictions,” he said.

In August a group of residents who live on and around

the intersection of Derstine and Allentown Roads presented a petition to the board, opposing plans for a nearby warehouse complex and calling on the board to address their concerns over the truck traffic, which had been restricted for only northbound trucks since 2018. In a detailed slideshow, those residents showed photos they said were tractor-trailers from nearby businesses causing backups, turning into opposing lanes, and trying to maneuver narrow streets with no sidewalks where kids, prior to 2020 and now once again, wait for school buses.

At the start of the supervisors meeting on Wednesday night, Wilson read two public comments received from residents about the truck troubles there, including one from Janine Paillard of Kimberly Way.

“Assuming we’re moving ahead with new signs, what is the time frame for when they will be put up? How will you enforce them? A warning won’t stop trucks from coming, but giving tickets might,” Paillard said.

Resident Sheryl Ciotti of Sterling Way also submitted a similar comment, asking if police were still watching the area and saying she had still seen trucks crossing into opposing lanes during turns and running red lights, and noting that North Penn’s students have returned to riding buses to school this week.

“We no longer see police enforcing in the area. However, we have seen countless trucks ignore the ban. Now that the school buses are up and running, this is more important than ever,” Ciotti said.

After reading the two public comments, Wilson asked police Chief Tim Dickinson to report on what his department had seen in that area.

“Year to date, we’ve conducted mobile and stationary patrols 82 times this year, in the area of Derstine Road, having to do with the truck restrictions,” Dickinson said.

“Those patrols have resulted in 32 enforcement stops, 22 of which resulted in citations being issued,” he said.

So far in 2020, the department’s certified motor vehicle safety inspectors have performed 11 truck inspections in the area, and in August the department sent warning letters to 12 local companies observed to be in violation of the current truck restrictions there, according to the chief.

“The frequency of police activity will fluctuate, depending on workload and the need to focus on other areas of concern,” he said.

“We were there every day this week. In fact, I know someone was down there today as well. So we are continuing our truck enforcement efforts on Derstine Road, and it remains on our directed patrol list,” Dickinson said.

After hearing the report from the chief, Wilson made a motion to authorize staff to prepare and advertise an ordinance adding the truck restriction on northbound Derstine Road, “from Allentown Road to the municipal border.”

“Due to continuing safety concerns, staff is recommending the restriction be placed for both directions of travel along this section of roadway — so that would be adding the southbound direction,” Wilson said.

Doing so would require an amendment to chapter 147 of the township’s codebook, which spells out vehicle and traffic rules and regulations, and Wilson’s motion authorized staff to prepare and advertise an ordinance that would do so.

“The ordinance will be back on our agenda at one of our November or December meetings, hopefully our second meeting in November,” Wilson said.

Before calling for a vote, Wilson asked Township Manager Rob Ford for an update on developing a signage plan to increase awareness of both the new restriction and the current rules.

Ford answered he had talked with the township’s traffic engineer “this morning, about that very thing,” and the board then unanimously approved the authorization.

Towamencin’s supervisors next meet at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 11 and 24; for more information visit www.Towamencin.org.