As part of our traffic study, we also do a safety assessment. We do a comparison of the build and no build conditions. It is more focused on vehicular traffic, because traffic is not increasing just being redistributed, we are showing no increase in expected crashes.
Will the environmental study include Gilliam Avenue? With the increase traffic, that is more noise and air pollution.
Gillam Avenue was within the limits of the project study area so with any analysis that takes place, that will be included. Any noise, air quality analysis will be included as part of the EA document.
Have you done a traffic study on the possible increase in traffic on W. Highland Ave with the removal of all access road exits and putting the majority of exit traffic for Langhorne Manor and Parkland onto this street? Your reply to my previous questions was there are stop signs but that does not address the increase traffic through our neighborhood and specifically on this street. The street has no sidewalks and kids play and bike on this road and it is relatively quiet now, so I would like to see a possible traffic study completed.
Highland Avenue is a part of the traffic study, and we added additional intersections to analyze those with our updated traffic study. It’s a similar situation to Gillam Ave where there is going to be an increase of traffic, but operationally it is still a low delay, and it’s local residential traffic.
Don’t environmental assessments involving road construction usually include air quality monitoring?
Typically we do some assessments with the air quality monitoring, but it isn’t a typical component of a project level analysis. But there is air quality assessments that are underway as part of the project’s environmental documentation. Additional information regarding PennDOT’s project level air quality analysis can be found in their PennDOT Publication 321, which is available online.
How will residence on Jeffrey Lane gain access to Route 1? With the service road stopping at Fox Court what will prevent our street from becoming a cut through to Parkland?
To access Route 1 South, go to Highland Avenue and reach the new interchange at the south end. If heading north on Route 1, make your way to 413 and get on there. There is no traffic coming from Route 1 that would be cutting through the neighborhood, only the adjacent properties between Park Avenue and Fox Court that are coming up to that portion of the service road.
Will there be a traffic study conducted for the neighborhood in the vicinity of Fox Court, Jeffrey Lane, Fee Avenue, Poplar Avenue and other associated roads?
Fox Court and Fee Avenue are currently part of our traffic model. Jeffrey Lane included in the report due to them connecting directly to the frontage road. Jeffery Lane was not included due to it being adjacent to the frontage road and it does a loop around, so there is no real destination.
You are incorrect about there being no additional traffic on Gilliam Ave once the service road is closed. Once you eliminate the service road, everyone who currently travels it to exit onto Station, Hill, Hulmeville Ave, Hulmeville Road, Park vale and Highland Ave (at the high school) will be using Gilliam. Please explain the metrics you used to determine no impact because it does not mesh with my experience.
There is going to be an increase in traffic with a 29% increase in the peak morning hour of 7-8 AM and an increase of 17% at the peak afternoon hour of 4-5 PM. However, there is to be no real increase of delay when traveling through this section even with the additional traffic.
Some of the traffic being discussed that is currently on the service road, comes from Route 1 and that will no longer have access directly from Route 1, so a portion of that traffic will stay on Route 1 to get off at the southern interchange to access the southern portion of the project down around Neshaminy High School. The traffic increase would be local traffic; it would not be cut-through traffic.
Going back in front of Bethlehem AME, there is just one crosswalk, which is on the side of the library. The flashing signals are activated when one crosswalk is used? There is a bus stop across from the church, so people will cross from the bus stop, not from the library side.
This crosswalk’s location has not been finalized yet. We are still looking at multiple options with one being on the library’s side and a different option of where it is currently. We are looking at doing one side of the road with a crosswalk, not both sides. This is still being worked on in coordination with the borough. Additionally, we are looking to put another crosswalk at Richardson Avenue intersection north of the stated location. That is all being coordinated with Langhorne Borough directly.
What is the length of the project in miles, end to end? Where does it begin, and where does it end?
The starting point is just south of Neshaminy High School, and the end point is just north of the Corn Crib Road Overpass, which is roughly 2.5 miles of US 1 mainline.
The service road from Fox Court to both Highland Road and Highland Avenue is a vital part of the local road network for local residents. I use it for all travel to the train station and other points of interest as do others. Removal of this road as shown will force more traffic onto residential roads that are ill suited for the increase. Will PennDOT address any issues that result from this?
We can take a look at that and review if it is a major concern. We can look at the traffic numbers and see that that is a major travel path for local traffic; we can take that into consideration. Maybe even re-establish the frontage road through that section. That would be in coordination with the municipality because it would get turned over to them to maintain.