Change In Speed Limit On Newtown-Yardley Road Draws Criticism

NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP, PA — A change in the speed limit from 35 to 25 mph on the Yardley-Newtown Road from Washington Avenue to Lower Dolington Road isn’t sitting well with some drivers.

In a social media post, motorists slammed the change, which was made by the township's board of supervisors in January at the request of the residents of Newtown Walk.

The residents of Newtown Walk had lobbied to improve pedestrian safety at a mid-block crosswalk at Tara Boulevard with a lower speed limit and pulsating beacon lights.

The crosswalk is used by the residents of Newtown Walk to access the Newtown Trail on the opposite side of the Newtown-Yardley Road, but a ramp up in the speed limit as traffic leaves the borough coupled with sun glare made using the crossing particularly harrowing. The trail provides safe pedestrian access to downtown Newtown Borough.

In addition to the speed reduction, the township will be installing an overhead pulsating beacon to alert motorists of the crosswalk.

“Who’s bright idea was it to lower the speed from 35 to 25 mph?” asked one driver in a Facebook post, which drew more than 50 responses.

Some speculated that the township made the change to boost revenue from speeding tickets. Others quickly dispelled that thought explaining that the local municipality actually gets very little from a speeding ticket, with much of the money going to the state.

Several also brought politics into the debate despite the fact that it was a nonpartisan, unanimous vote of the supervisors.

One resident wrote, “All this will do is drive more traffic to the bypass, which is what they want. It will also create more congestion, of which they don’t care.”

“It is such a weird spot to be 25 mph,” wrote another. “I’m sure this made a few residents happy, but it flies in the face of logic and impacts many more other residents.”

Others expressed support for the reduction.

“The pedestrians who walk and cross along that road understand why,” wrote one driver.

“This definitely helps with drivers being able to stop in time for the cross walk. Many times I saw cars drive right through the crosswalk when pedestrians were trying to make their way across,” wrote another.

Under Pennsylvania law, motorists are required to stop when a pedestrian is in the crosswalk.

“Man some folks are babies on this post,” one driver concluded. “How much time will going 25 mph add to your drive? It’s about public safety and careless drivers that prompt changes like this. Jeez.”

The supervisors are also expected to vote in February to reduce the speed limit from 35 to 25 mph along a stretch of Sycamore Street between Durham Road and Washington.

The change in the speed limit along Sycamore is part of a broader effort to improve safety along the commercial corridor following several pedestrian accidents, including a handful of fatalities.