Heritage Park Residents Concerned About Street Safety

A Heritage Park resident attended the Feb. 5 Trappe Borough Council Meeting to address safety concerns regarding speeding in the neighborhood.

“I've seen some close calls," said the resident.

He said that he and many of his neighbors have witnessed cars using Heritage Park as a short cut.

“They drive too fast and they don’t stop at the stop signs,” he told council, and asked the members to consider installing a wide speed bump "like the one on Black Rock Road".

“I think you mean a speed table,” said President Schuetz, referring to a structure that is much wider than a speed bump.

The resident agreed that they were looking for a wide, raised section in the street to cut down on the fast driving.

"It’s a safety issue. I’m afraid someone is going to get hurt and I just want to get the ball rolling,” the resident said.

Council member Cathy Johnson said that she thinks of speed bumps and speed tables as a last resort. Several other council members expressed concern that these type of road structures cause problems for snow plows and emergency vehicles. The borough engineer said that drainage also needs to be taken into consideration.

Council shared a story about the installation of a speed table on 5^th Avenue several years ago. After installation, residents complained about the loud noise from trucks and vehicles going over the speed table at all hours of the day and night. The borough took the structure down due to those complaints.

Other options for Heritage Park were discussed, including increased police patrols of the neighborhood, painting lines on the street, installing signage, or attaching a monitor to a speed limit sign. The issue will go to the Streets Committee which will make a recommendation to the full council at the March 5 Borough Council meeting.