It was a mixed bag during Concord Township’s June 1 council meeting. Conversation ranged from traffic lights to sidewalks, return to in-person meetings, and an end to the COVID-related outdoor dining permits.
Council also heard from state Rep. Craig Williams, R-160, who also talked about traffic. Williams, who won the representative seat to replace Steve Barrar, who retired last year, said he took a PennDOT maintenance person on a drive-through around the district, focusing on the lengths of Routs 1 and 202 through the district. That Route 1 trip went from Kennett Square to the end of Concord Township. That tour also included a run up and down Route 322, the Conchester Highway.
“I took them on a two-hour tour, in my truck, with me driving, taking him over every bump that you and I experience every day on the state roads,” he said. “He got to sit in daytime, flagged, single-lane the way we do.”
Williams added that he also showed the PennDOT person the dangers of the left-hand turn from Beaver Valley Road onto northbound Route 202.
“That’s quite dangerous, and I wanted him to experience what it’s like trying to make that left turn with traffic that’s coming straight through the intersection that you can’t see among those who are making the left-hand turn to go south on 202. And fortunately, it was just as dangerous as it is every day, so he got to see that in real-time…He had to acknowledge there are some bad spots out there.”
Plus, he said, he got a commitment for quarterly meetings with PennDOT to review maintenance work and the updated status of Route 322.
Dangerous intersections continued to be a topic of conversation when Council authorized the township manager to make a formal request for a signalized intersection at Route 1 and School House Lane. There was a fatal accident there last year.
Township engineer Nate Cline said some of the preliminary work is already lined up. He said PennDOT would be installing signage and having some tree-trimming along the sides of School House Lane to improve sightlines. Striping at the intersection will be done at a later date.
“We have spoken with PennDOT, and we’ve clarified the next path forward for a possible signal at the intersection,” Cline said.
Part of that process is for the township to sign off on a promise to own and maintain the signal before making the formal application for the light. Council voted unanimously in favor.
Council announced that it would resume in-person council meetings beginning in August and that the COVID emergency outdoor dining permits will expire as of Aug. 1 and will not be renewable.
“We have no intention at this point of extending them any further,” said Council Co-Vice-President John Crossan.
About Rich Schwartzman
Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.
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