neighborhood news

Dear neighbors,
Please see the notes below regarding a conversation Gwen Douse (a concerned neighbor) had with the township. She is encouraging all of us to speak up about the issue of adding a traffic light at Meetinghouse Rd.

Secondly, I have only had one person offer to help with the Halloween parade - can anyone else help organize this event? It is so much easier with a couple people helping! There was a big turnout last year - please help us continue to have this tradition. (:

I've had a request for preschool recommendations from Penny and Pete Zografakis. Would you please send your recommendations to them at:  pzografakis@starcite.com.

Lastly, Kathy Mignone, another neighbor, would like to remind you about a holiday shopping opportunity. (: 

Holiday Shopping Made Easy
Why not start early and shop from your seat not your feet?
I would love to bring my "Sterling Boutique" to you and shower you with FREE JEWELRY while you enjoy a "Girls Night Out" with your girlfriends. I also offer morning "Bagels and Bling" for stay at home moms. SILPADA jewlery is handcrafted and all .925 sterling silver. I offer almost 500 items, with about half of them at $50 or under. Call for a party date or you can come see me for a personal appointment.
You can view my entire line at mysilpada.com/k.mignone
                                                                                Kathi Mignone, Independent Silpada Representative
                                                                                 kandylover1@aol.com
                                                                                 267-218-4518

Please send me your email to receive Silpada Specials

Thank you!
Carol Pfister
gwyneddknoll@gmail.com
215-661-8775

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Dear Neighbors,

Below is my response to Madeline Fausto's email (below my response) concerning traffic lights at Rose Lane/63 and Meetinghouse Road/202.   Ms Fausto is PENNDOT'S representative for our section of 202/63 improvements, who attends our meetings. It was a very disappointing response as far as our safety is concerned. Please feel free to send your comments to Madeline Fausto and the individuals that were cc on my e-mail, listed below. The more neighbors they hear from, the better our chance of improving safety issues for us all.

Thank you,

Gwen Douse

P.S.  This is a response added after this conversation:

Please add the latest communication from Board Supervisor Ed Brandt to the e-mail I sent you yesterday.

----- Original Message -----

From: Ed Brandt

To: Larry Comunale ; Kathleen Hunsicker ; Mark Grey ; Richard Booth ; Steven Paccione ; gdouse@comcast.net

Cc: Craig Mcanally ; John Scholly

Sent: Monday, October 04, 2010 11:22 PM

Subject: RE: Up-date items- Gwynedd Knoll

To All,I support the continued diligent of Gwen Douse staying on top of of PENNDOT about the signal at Meetinghouse and 202.I do not think a Temporary light at Rose will happen.

We all predicted that a Light at the New Meetinghouse and 202 will eventually be needed and Lower Gwynedd Twp. has stated that we will pay for it, as is always the case for New Traffic lights in a Twp.

We,the Township,our Manager,Elected Officials and State Rep. Harper will continue to monitor and be involved with this Major project.

----- Original Message -----

From: gdouse

To: Fausto, Madeleine

Cc: Early, Brian ; Rohe, Bernie ; Troy Illig ; Blaum, Eugene ; Stevenson, Timothy S ; lcomunale@lowergwynedd.org ; Kate Harper

Sent: Monday, October 04, 2010 5:18 PM

Subject: Re: Up-date items- Gwynedd Knoll

Dear Ms. Fausto,

 

Thank you for your response. We do appreciate your willingness to coordinate efforts with our development, who is one of the hardest hit during this lengthy construction period.

 

I would like to emphasize, however, at our last meeting with PENNDOT, that we were assured there would be an actual traffic light, not just a blinking light when Meetinghouse Road was improved; this confirmation of an actual traffic light at 202 and Meetinghouse was repeated SEVERAL times at the meeting when several neighbors expressed concern. This a VERY dangerous intersection, especially turning left onto 202 South, and with the increase in the volume/speed of traffic due to enlargement of 202 it will be even more dangerous! IT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED IF YOU CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS SITUATION IN LIGHT OF CHANGED TRAFFIC PATTERNS AND RECONSIDER PLACING THAT MUCH  NEEDED, PROMISED TRAFFIC LIGHT THERE.

 

Also, I noticed that the study at Rose Lane was conducted 3 years ago-much has changed/worsened in terms of traffic patterns since then. All that I requested at this time is a temporary light since it is one of the few streets we have to exit/enter our community for the next 2 years!

 

Thank you again for your reconsideration and I will forward your response to the neighborhood as well.

 

Best wishes,

Gwen Douse

----- Original Message -----

From: Fausto, Madeleine

To: gdouse

Cc: Larry Comunale (lcomunale@lowergwynedd.org) ; Stevenson, Timothy S ; Blaum, Eugene ; Troy Illig ; Rohe, Bernie ; Early, Brian

Sent: Monday, October 04, 2010 1:45 PM

Subject: RE: Up-date items- Gwynedd Knoll

Dear Ms. Douse,

 

This is in response to your September 17^th email.  During design, we had extensive coordination efforts with Lower Gwynedd Township and the Gwynedd Knoll community relating to the US 202 widening project in an effort to identify and alleviate traffic related impacts to the community.  The inclusion of the turning restrictions at Dekalb Pike and Hancock during this recent stage of construction is an example of a mitigation measure included into the Section 65N project at the request of the Gwynedd Knoll community and supported by Lower Gwynedd Township.   As you are aware, the US 202 Section 65N project is well into full construction and is scheduled for completion in the Spring of 2012.   The ongoing work on Welsh Road is included and needed for the Section 65N improvement project.

 

The SR 2016 Section OFF project, which includes the relocation of Meetinghouse Road, was recently authorized to begin construction.  The installation of a traffic signal at the new Meetinghouse Road intersection is not planned as part of the Section OFF project.  The volumes at the existing Meetinghouse Road intersection with Dekalb Pike do not meet the minimum traffic signal warrant requirements to support the installation of a traffic signal at the intersection.    The Section OFF project will not significantly impact traffic along Dekalb Pike as all lanes of traffic will be in operation during the project and the section of work along Dekalb Pike is relatively short.  The relocated Meetinghouse Road intersection will include a dedicated left turn lane along southbound Dekalb Pike.  The Section OFF project, and the subsequent US 202 Section 65S project, provides the opportunity to monitor the traffic utilizing the relocated roadway and to collect actual future traffic volumes at the intersection.  This provides the Department the opportunity to compare the volumes to the traffic signal warrants potentially providing the opportunity to install a full traffic signal under future conditions.   A flashing traffic signal beacon is currently planned for the intersection under the US 202 Section 65S project.   Results of the signal warrant analyses at this location under Section OFF and Section 65S were shared and discussed with Lower Gwynedd Township and their traffic engineers at project meetings in the past.

 

Regarding your concerns about traffic at Rose Lane, the Department conducted a traffic study in December of 2007 in response to community concerns of traffic at the intersection.  A traffic count was conducted on November 8, 2007 as part of the analysis.  The count indicated that traffic volumes exiting Rose Lane at the intersection were low and significantly under the required traffic signal warrants.  This condition would be anticipated to remain under the Section 65N construction conditions due to the closure of Gwynedd View Lane and the reduction of access into the Gwynedd View community.   If the current conditions are felt to be significantly different than those assumed in our analysis, the Township could request for the Department to conduct an additional investigation at the intersection regarding the potential for a temporary traffic signal installation.

 

We appreciate your patience through the construction period.  For concerns and comments regarding the ongoing construction under Section 65N, please contact our Construction Manager, Bernie Rohe at (267)613-8220.  For questions regarding the status of Section 65S, please feel free to contact me or Troy Illig at (215)209-1208.

 

Sincerely,

Madeleine C. Fausto | Project Manager

Department of Transportation

Engineering District 6-0

7000 Geerdes Blvd. | King of Prussia PA 19406

Phone:  610.205.6848 | Fax:  610.205.6903

www.dot.state.pa.us

 

From: gdouse [mailto:gdouse@comcast.net]
Sent: Friday, September 17, 2010 8:02 PM
To: Fausto, Madeleine
Subject: Up-date items- Gwynedd Knoll

 

Dear Ms. Fausto,

Below is a letter I sent to Larry Comunale and Kate Harper and I was told my request for the traffic lights needs to be sent to you, as representative of PENNDOT. I also have been informed that drivers are driving dangerously around the pork chop and crossing 202 onto Hancock; it needs to be extended/modified to prevent this from occurring.

 

Please respond to message below.

Thank you,

Gwen Douse

gdouse@comcast.net

 

It feels as though Gwynedd Knoll is now officially under siege-63, 309, and 202 are torn-up. We can't go anywhere without major traffic problems. I feel sorry for anyone planning to put their house on the market as I am sure this current situation is affecting home property values in our neighborhood and will for the foreseeable future. I am very perplexed why PENNDOT would work on all 3 arteries at the same time after years of doing nothing. Based on all the meetings we have attended over the years, I thought this project was going to be done in stages.

 

At this point we need IMMEDIATE relief since this project looks like it will be going on for some time. At the last meeting we were promised a traffic light at Meetinghouse Road and 202-this should happen now! Also at Rose Lane and 63 a temporary traffic light would at least allow us to safely exit our neighborhood.

 

Thank you for any consideration/action to help alleviate our situation.

Gwen Douse