The Department notes that any potential traffic calming and pedestrian improvements will be within the existing curblines or within the existing sidewalk limits at the proposed ADA ramp locations. Consequently, the project does not and will not directly impact the Bethlehem AME Church or other properties within Langhorne Borough Historic District. PennDOT does take note of the potential indirect effects to the Bethlehem AME Church and Langhorne Borough and is taking these into consideration as the project development process continues through the Section 106 process.
Observers who participated in our truck study frequently commented about the volume of noise on Rt. 413 as they sat and counted trucks. Research has shown that noise pollution has a negative impact on physical and mental health (Osborne, et al., 2020). A growing body of research shows that chronic traffic noise — which rattles neighborhoods near congested roads— is not just annoying. It is a largely unrecognized health threat.
PennDOT understands and appreciates the concerns expressed regarding pedestrian safety at the PA 413/Flowers Avenue and PA 413/PA 213 intersections along with the concern at the associated pedestrian attractions.
As previously noted, PennDOT is currently coordinating with Langhorne Borough regarding traffic calming and pedestrian improvements along PA 413 (Pine Street) from the Flowers Avenue intersection north to the PA 213 (Maple Avenue) intersection.
PennDOT is actively coordinating with Wood Services regarding their campus and residents’ needs with respect to pedestrian and bicycle needs / accommodations along with transit access for staff.
The proposed cloverleaf and the increased traffic will make it more dangerous for pedestrians crossing Rt. 413 at the crosswalk near the churches (where there already has been a fatality). It will make crossing Rt. 413 to reach the library, the park and commercial stores more dangerous.
PennDOT has corresponded and met directly with the Bethlehem AME Church to hear its concerns and will continue to meet with any stakeholder (including Woods Services) throughout the design process. PennDOT will address project stakeholder concerns as much as possible within the limits of this project.
In our Truck Study serious pedestrian safety concerns were observed when cars and trucks travel on Rt. 413 and do not adhere to posted speed limits as they try to beat the light. This currently presents safety concerns for all pedestrians trying to cross the intersection and walking on sidewalks. Observers noted that people in wheelchairs tried to cross Rt. 413 to get into town and reach both the park and the library. Woods Services is located in the Borough, so we have many residents with disabilities who live in the community.
Based on the traffic analysis, the Department does not anticipate a significant increase in traffic volume at either the PA 413/Flowers Avenue intersection or the PA 413/PA 213 intersection due to the proposed interchange. The Department notes that vehicles can currently exit onto Bellevue Avenue from both U.S. 1 North and South, which creates a cut-through traffic pattern on the neighborhood (local) street network. While the proposed interchange will make it easier and safer to reach PA 413, the project team anticipates traffic will only rebalance from the internal cut-through traffic and from the U.S. 1/PA 213 Interchange. Again, a significant increase in traffic volume will not be seen at the PA 413/PA 213 intersection or the PA 413/Flowers Avenue intersection in Langhorne Borough due to the proposed interchange.
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.
A traffic noise study is being completed for the project in accordance with PennDOT’s Publication 24: Project Level Highway Traffic Noise Handbook. If warranted, feasible, and reasonable, noise walls will be proposed as part of this project. In areas where noise walls are proposed, the benefited members of the community will have a vote on whether to accept the noise wall. A simple majority will determine whether a potential proposed noise wall will be incorporated into the project.
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.
PennDOT is currently coordinating with Langhorne Borough regarding traffic calming and pedestrian improvements along PA 413 (Pine Street) from the Flowers Avenue intersection north to the PA 213 (Maple Avenue) intersection. PennDOT is actively coordinating with Wood Services regarding their campus and residents’ needs with respect to pedestrian and bicycle needs / accommodations along with transit access for staff.
Research by Zhang et al. (2011) has demonstrated that vehicles tend to emit more pollutants in stop-and-start driving, e.g., when transitioning between free-flow and congested conditions. These pollutants take time to disperse and end up accumulating in the air at traffic lights. This will mean increased exposure to air pollutants for the people living along and near the roadway intersection of Rt. 413 and 213.
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.
Air pollution in Bucks County is currently terrible (Cite for example, the 2025 State of the Air by the American Lung association. Bucks County receives a failing grade. There is a considerable body of research demonstrated that cars – and trucks even more so – are a significant source of air pollution which is linked to many health problems such as asthma, other respiratory conditions, reduced lung function – even increased rates of myocardial infarction, progression of atherosclerosis, and cardiovascular mortality. Diesel exhaust from trucks and buses has even been classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as carcinogenic to humans – even at low levels and in short-term exposures.
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.
I am very concerned about the environmental impact of increased traffic on air quality in the Borough. Air pollution levels must be assessed (nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and the findings shared with the community.
An air quality analysis is being completed for the project to address National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Clean Air Act requirements. The study follows the guidelines provided in PennDOT’s Publication 321: Project-Level Air Quality Handbook. The Handbook provides background information and technical guidance on applicable regulations, standards, and evaluation processes that are required to be considered for projects like this one.
The often repeated claim during the meeting that traffic on 413 will be slowed down by one second is also preposterous. Given the above statement, it defies common sense. The traffic study mentioned above, which PennDOT received as it commented on it in the press) clearly laid out the methodology of the study for all to see and comment, The answer to the question on YOUR methodology was that it will be added to a technical addendum later on and will not be subject to comment. Given the distrust that many residents have on what PennDOT is claiming, wouldn’t transparency on how you came to the conclusions of less traffic (yet reduced by one second!) on 413 help? A cynical mind would suggest that only faulty research needs to be hidden where critical analysis is avoided.
The traffic study will be made available to the public at the time of the Environmental Assessment document publication or sooner, when available. Previous versions of the traffic analysis were reviewed by third party engineers. The study was also provided to SAFE Engineering for their review and comment; however, PennDOT did not receive any comments regarding the traffic analysis.
PennDOT has requested Langhorne Borough to provide any traffic analysis completed by their engineers that may contradict their findings. To date, no independent traffic analysis has been received. Any safety analysis received from Langhorne Borough’s engineers has been found to have a lower reduction in crashes when compared to the current preferred alternative.
The PM Peak at the SR 213 (Maple Avenue) and SR 413 (Pine Street) is modeled to be approximately 1 second longer in intersection delay (31.0 seconds in the no build condition versus 32.5 in the build condition) for the overall intersection. Some approaches will experience less delay while others will experience slightly more due to changes in traffic patterns and optimizing signal timings and coordinating with adjacent signals, but the operations at the intersection as a whole are not expected to be majorly impacted versus the existing condition.