Politics & Government

Road Rage in Richland? Not Really. Just Road Concerns.

A bridge in Valencia and speeders on Turner Road concern area residents.

Some Richland residents wanted things to speed up; others wanted them to slow down.

They were talking about two different road issues Wednesday night before the Richland Board of Supervisors.

Speed Up

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Mel Aiken of Aiken Auto Repair and others want the supervisors to speed up a decision about a bridge on Dambach Avenue in Valencia.

"We want to know what the plan is on the bridge," he said.

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Residents of Valencia filled the supervisors' chambers months ago to talk about the bridge—some want it open, others prefer that it close.

Township Manager Dean Bastianini explained that the bridge issue is not a particularly easy one with which to deal.

He referred to the conflict and animosity of Valencia residents over the bridge and the resulting lawsuits.

"We represent people on both sides," Bastianini said, as well as a larger constituency of township taxpayers.

Currently no decision has been made on whether to replace the bridge or close Dambach Avenue, he said.

Shoup Engineering is studying the bridge and will give a report to the supervisors about options of what to do and the costs, Bastianini said.

The township will let the residents know the results of the engineers' study, he said. 

Slow Down

Diana Taylor wants things to slow down on Turner Road, which she dubbed Turner Speedway.

She has watched traffic increase in the 42 years that she has lived there, she said, but the speeders have gotten so bad, she "almost got killed twice in one day."

Taylor asked the supervisors to consider installing speed bumps or three-way stops or painting "Slow" on the road or setting weight limits.

"I feel I can't get out of my driveway," Taylor said. "We need to do something as soon as possible."

 At lunchtime, she counted 100 cars go by in 20 minutes, she said.

"It's not isolated to Turner Road," said Vice Chairman Raymond Kendrick. "It's an areawide problem. ... People speed."

Township Manager Dean Bastianini said the township can use a traffic counter to gather data about the number and speed of vehicles.

"There is no panacea, no single silver bullet will stop speeding," Bastianini said.

"We have to operate under the law," Chairman Herbert Dankmyer added. "We can do things, but we can't just go out and put a stop sign there."

Bastianini agreed: "We can't do the politically popular thing."

Years ago, Richland Road residents filled a supervisors' meeting to complain about speeding on that road, Kendrick said. A speed trap set up on the road netted 62 speeders ... and 51 lived on Richland Road and had been at the meeting, he said.

Bastianini said the township will notify Taylor when it gets results from the traffic count.

"When you can't get out of your driveway ... that's the scary part for me," Taylor said. "I know we have (speeding) everywhere, but Turner Road is getting worse."

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