Parking on Constitution still an issue
There’s still no resolution to the parking issue on Constitution Drive in Chadds Ford Knoll in Pennsbury Township, but Supervisors’ Chairman Aaron McIntyre said he expects one next month.
Parking restrictions on the street went into effect in January because of safety and traffic flow issues caused by on-street parking. McIntyre said during the February meeting that prohibiting parking on both sides of Constitution was seen as a way to avoid congestion and improve safety. Residents, however, disagreed. They said the biggest safety issue was speeding and that if parking on both sides of the street slowed traffic, that was a benefit, not a problem.
Residents packed the meeting room for the March 15 meeting hoping for some news. And while they didn’t get a final answer, they did learn that the township has been reviewing the situation.
Without going into detail, McIntyre said the supervisors are working on a “rough outline” of how to go forward to reduce the number of no-parking signs while still trying to keep the streets clear. He said supervisors and the roadmaster have driven through the Knoll and that “gave us some valuable information. We think there are a number of solutions.”
He thinks there’s “a way to minimize the number of signs but to make sure we have clear roads…We want to work with our engineer to get his advice on the best way to do that.”
Fellow Supervisor Wendell Fenton said, “I think we can find a solution that works.”
One resident said the no-parking signs inhibit residents of Constitution from having guests, and another said the restriction jeopardizes property values. Another said other roads in the Knoll are on steeper slopes, but they do not have parking restrictions.
Tiffany Varghese added that if the restrictions are necessary and signs need to be there, they should specify that the no parking is only during snow emergencies.
And part of the discussion involved when there might be a need to limit parking, specifically during those snowy and icy conditions. None of the residents expressed any disagreement with that idea. However, they will have to wait until the April meeting to learn what will be done.
Other business
Supervisors agreed to transfer $600,000 from the general fund to two different reserves. Half the money will go into the capital reserve fund and the other $300,000 will go into the road reserve fund.
The board also voted to keep Pennsylvania State police and Longwood Fire Co. as the township’s emergency service providers.
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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