Speeding vehicles in town raise concerns

Parents warn officials children are at risk on neighborhood streets

NORTH WALES >> A new year has brought a familiar topic back to the top of the agenda for North Wales borough.

What can the town do to slow down or discourage drivers from speeding on local side streets, especially ones where children might be?

“I had an encounter this weekend where somebody, going probably 50 or 60 miles per hour down our road, failed to even stop at the stop sign at 10th and Church (Road). Just went right through it, when I was outside with my kids,” said resident Kristy Farrington of

Tenth Street.

“As I was standing there, I was yelling at the car, and he failed to stop or slow down,” she said.

Farrington told council during the public comment portion of Tuesday night’s meeting that she was in her front yard with her twin sons when the speeder went past, and said they’re too young to know what a close call they had.

“You can’t see, with the cars parked on either side of the road, and our neighborhood is also full of walkers for the elementary school,” she said.

“I just wanted to raise it here, and see if there’s anything we can do to stop traffic going through,” she said.

Police Chief Michael Eves said traffic and speeding are among his most frequent complaints from residents, and said Tenth

Street is a known route for employees heading to and from Merck facilities in Upper Gwynedd.

“Last month, which was an off month, we had over 170 traffic enforcements in December that our officers did,” Eves said.

Police maintain an “extra watch list” of areas in need of particular attention, the chief told council and the resident, and update that list every month as conditions change and/or complaints raise.

“Tenth Street tends to be one of them,” he said.

Police already monitor Tenth and Prospect Avenue and Tenth and Church Street, Eves said, and officers are required to do at least two selective enforcement periods per duty shift, unless police are already busy elsewhere.

“Basically, sitting at a stop sign or a signal, timing for speeders in a certain area — they have to do two of those, per shift,” Eves said.

Residents may notice white lines on the roadways throughout the town, and those are used by officers to measure the distance a driver travels during a certain period of time, which can be used to calculate miles per hour, according to the chief.

“We do tend to give a little courtesy if someone is five or eight miles per hour over, but if they’re in the 15 mileper-hour or over range, we will cite them,” he said.

Those citations are reported monthly to borough council, and the December report notes a total of 170 traffic enforcement actions taken, with 36 between midnight and 8 a.m.; 54 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 80 from 4 p.m. to midnight. Any resident who sees a speeding incident is asked to dial 911 to contact police, with as much information as possible, including a license plate of the driver if possible. Farrington asked if the borough had considered adding speed humps in

trouble spots, and Eves said doing so has been considered, but comes with drawbacks.

“They tend to break plows quite a bit during the winter weather, when (trucks) are plowing, and there’s a lot of regulations that have to be in place, to put in a speed bump,” Eves said.

“Speed bumps tend to create more problems than they solve,” he said.

Mayor Greg D’Angelo added that speed bumps would have to be navigated by drivers in the affected area at all hours of day or night, while targeted enforcement can be done during the hour or two when problems occur. He suggested police look into whether conditions could qualify for a pedestrian crossing sign with flashing lights, and said he would contact officials in Souderton Borough where he has seen similar signs.

Councilman Mark Tarlecki said he recalled police

using mobile signs with flashing lights indicating drivers’ speed years ago, and councilman Sal Amato asked if fines could be doubled or special enforcement zones created in the worst areas.

“We’re right on the corner, so I’ve heard the cars screeching when they’re trying to stop. It’s a hazard,” Amato said.

Councilman Ron Little asked if the borough had contacted Merck to ask that their employees slow down or use other routes, and council President Jim Sando said he keeps a close eye on the police reports each day.

“I can tell you, every day the officers are doing selective enforcement in various locations around town,” he said.

“It may not always be where you are, but it’s happening somewhere in the borough, and you can be assured someone else in the borough is having the same problem you’re having,” Sando said.

Councilwoman Wendy McClure said she invited Farrington to voice the issue publicly after seeing her post on the “North Wales Borough Community” Facebook page, and said police also monitor the page to keep an eye on problems. Amato said he had seen similar speed bumps removed at intersections in Upper Gwynedd, and borough Manager Christine Hart said she and Eves will investigate options.

“The chief would have to look at any traffic control devices, to make sure it’s per our ordinances and we can install it, but I would say if you request them, then we are obligated to look into it,” Hart said.

North Wales borough council next meets at 7 p.m. on Jan. 28 at the borough municipal building, 300 School St.