At earlier meetings, PennDOT estimated that an average of 4 trucks per hour pass through the intersection of 413 and 213. The community of Langhorne Borough conducted its own truck count along 413 in June of 2023. This study showed a considerably higher number of trucks per hour (trucks being defined as having more than 6 or more tires.) Our count showed that over a 13-hour period from 7:00AM to 7:00PM, 540 trucks drove down 413 going straight through the intersection or turning onto 213. Add in buses (of which there are many coming through town) that number increased to 628 combined trucks and busses. This number far exceeds PennDOT’s estimate of 4 per hour. The numbers are anywhere from 5-20X more than PennDOT suggested. This is before the proposed changes to the roadway which will funnel even more traffic off of Rt. 1 into the heart of the Borough. In our truck study we observed back-ups of 20 or more cars idling and waiting to get through the light—many having to wait for a second light. This congestion will increase with the proposed cloverleaf. The proposed changes, i.e., cloverleaf and loss of access roads, will produce additional car and truck traffic, that will stack up and idle, trying to pass through the intersection of Rt. 413 and Rt. 213 in the Borough, making air pollution worse.

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At earlier meetings, PennDOT estimated that an average of 4 trucks per hour pass through the intersection of 413 and 213. The community of Langhorne Borough conducted its own truck count along 413 in June of 2023. This study showed a considerably higher number of trucks per hour (trucks being defined as having more than 6 or more tires.) Our count showed that over a 13-hour period from 7:00AM to 7:00PM, 540 trucks drove down 413 going straight through the intersection or turning onto 213. Add in buses (of which there are many coming through town) that number increased to 628 combined trucks and busses. This number far exceeds PennDOT’s estimate of 4 per hour. The numbers are anywhere from 5-20X more than PennDOT suggested. This is before the proposed changes to the roadway which will funnel even more traffic off of Rt. 1 into the heart of the Borough. In our truck study we observed back-ups of 20 or more cars idling and waiting to get through the light—many having to wait for a second light. This congestion will increase with the proposed cloverleaf. The proposed changes, i.e., cloverleaf and loss of access roads, will produce additional car and truck traffic, that will stack up and idle, trying to pass through the intersection of Rt. 413 and Rt. 213 in the Borough, making air pollution worse.

PennDOT’s traffic count data from February 2024 showed 8 heavy trucks and 104 buses/single unit trucks (or 112 total trucks/buses) in the morning peak hour and 6 heavy trucks and 49 buses/single unit trucks (or 55 total trucks/buses) in the afternoon peak hour. PennDOT’s online traffic count data from 2024 indicates 3% truck traffic and 511 total trucks and buses per day along PA 413 (Pine Street) north of the intersection and 12% trucks and 1522 total trucks and buses per day along PA 413 (Pine Street) south of the intersection. 

The traffic data from 2024 stated above, which is similar to previous counts, is the traffic data currently being used in the project traffic analysis.  At no point in time during the project’s traffic analysis were the truck numbers referenced by Langhorne Borough used to evaluate any proposed alternatives.

The queueing condition was modeled for the no build and build conditions and it was found that queueing in the PM Peak on PA 413 northbound will decrease, on PA 413 southbound will increase, and on PA 213 it will increase in the build condition due to updated timing and new traffic patterns. The overall intersection traffic volumes and queueing will be similar in the no build and build condition, with no major impacts as a result of the US 1 project.