Neighbors Worried Riverton Road Roundabout Could Affect Property

The on Riverton Road not only has neighbors , but also leaves residents who live in the affected area worried about their property.

In an , several residents and neighbors talked to county engineers about the roundabout slated for the intersections of Branch Pike and Riverton and Parry roads.

Paul Gelly, who lives on Branch Pike right at Riverton Road, is afraid his property value will decrease if a roundabout is built. He thinks local police should enforce laws better at the intersection.

“Maybe then accidents will go away,” he said. “Nobody, but nobody, stops at the stop sign here. They look up Riverton Road—if nothing is coming, they fly up the road.”

Gelly couldn’t make Wednesday’s meeting but said he is unsure if construction would affect his property directly. County engineer Joseph Brickley said the county wanted to hold the informational session first then will reach out to possibly affected neighbors.

Marie Cavuto lives on Riverton Road and the corner of her property is on “Little Parry Road,” the section of Parry that links Branch Pike and Riverton Road. She has a circular driveway at her house and engineers told her one part of her driveway—closest to Parry—would have to be eliminated.

At Wednesday's meeting, Brickley did say that's on the plan as of now, but there could be a way not to impede on her driveway.

Cavuto, who was at the informational session, doesn’t want a roundabout not only because her property would be affected but because it will affect the neighborhood feel.

“This is a residential area and the residents want to keep it as such,” Cavuto said.

However, Cavuto said she thinks a traffic light would be best. In fact, she said she’s been asking for one for a while.

“We’ve been wanting one for 40 years,” she said. “We’ve had accidents for years.”

Neighbor Greg Chomicz lives on Riverton Road across the street from Gelly. He said over the nearly 10 years he and his family has been there, he’s seen “hundreds of incidents.”

Chomicz usually sees fender benders, he says.

“People will start rolling through the stop sign, then abruptly stop,” he said. “The people behind them, they are simply too close and they hit them.”

The police are rarely, if ever, involved, Chomicz has noticed, and cars are quickly on their way.

He’s looked at the preliminary design of the roundabout and said his property probably won’t be directly affected but he has talked to his neighbors “who are certainly not happy about it,” he said.

Chomicz said he thinks something does need to be done though but doesn’t think a roundabout is it.

“Lower the speed limit and have a cop sit out there every once in a while,” he said. “So people who frequently travel that road know that is some place they are going to get popped.”

Officer Kevin Bohn said it’s not that easy to get speed limits changed. Studies need to be done to analyze the road, and if anything, Bohn suggested, limits would increase.

Chomicz said he doesn’t have any issues with a roundabout—“I know how to navigate them”—he just doesn’t find it necessary.

“I don’t think the money needs to be spent,” he said. “I just don’t think it’s a necessity in that location.”

Stay with Patch as we exclusively bring you this story. If any residents who live in the potentially affected area want to talk to Patch, email local editor Christina Paciolla at christina.paciolla@patch.com.