Supervisors double traffic impact fee

NORTH COVENTRY » Township supervisors unanimously agreed Monday to increase the traffic impact fees charged to developers by nearly 50 percent.

It will increase from $2,352 per peak-hour trip to $3,477 per peak-hour trip — an increase of 47.8 percent.

The higher fee was reviewed and recommended in January by the township’s Traffic Impact Fee Advisory Committee.

The vote came after a public hearing held during a “virtual” online meeting made necessary by restrictions on personal proximity due to the coronavirus pandemic.

It also came after a presentation by John Yurick from McMahon Associates, the township’s traffic engineers.

He told the supervisors the fee is derived from an analysis of the $15 million in major road and intersection improvements that will be required to accommodate additional traffic drive by anticipated development.

The township had already anticipated projects costing $1.4 million and the additional projects are the result of analyzing potential building projects through 2030, said Yurick.

Those projects are all anticipated in the eastern portion of the township, as little new development is anticipated west of the Route 100 corridor, Yurick said.

Improvement projects already planned include:

• A widening of Route 724 to add turn lanes at the intersection with Laurelwood Road at a cost of about $592,000;

• Upgraded traffic signals along the Route 724 corridor at intersections with Keim Street, South Hanover Street and Route 422, as well as modifications to Route 100 intersections with South Hanover Street and Temple Road, at a combined cost of $237,000;

Future improvements include a widening of Route 100 south of the intersection with Hoffecker Road, said Yurick.

IMAGE FROM SCREENSHOT This 14-page presentation on the increase in North Coventry’s traffic impact sees was examined prior to the supervisor vote to raise the fees.