Please read the notes below from Gwen Douse, a neighbor who has been following the 202 construction developments and traffic related issues for some time. There is an opportunity for us to write to suggest a change in the current plans...take advantage of the moment if you can.
I also wanted to update you on the sale of homes within our neighborhood. There have been quite a few sold lately, I'm happy to report! I believe 5 homes have sold in the last few months and at least 3 more are on the market now. (This is an estimate...I apologize if the numbers are not quite correct.) The closing prices are not listed for all of them but the listing range goes from $635, 000 - $729, 500. Actual selling prices are not public info until after closing. Just thought you might be interested and encouraged to see this info on our beautiful neighborhood.
If you have new neighbors move in next to you, please offer them this email address to be added to the "newsletter" listing. It is a great communication tool for new folks!
Thank you and happy summertime!
Carol Pfister
gwyneddknoll@gmail.com
215-661-8775
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Dear Neighbors,
We are faced with a potentially urgent situation. Part of section 65S of 202, the section 1,000 feet just south of us on 202, which originally was
planned to be 4 lanes all the way through, will narrow from 4 lanes to 2 lanes causing an hour glass configuration and potentially a very huge
traffic jam daily, especially at rush hour. The result could once again be that frustrated drivers use our neighborhood as a cut through as they seek relief from the traffic. I had written to several public officials a while back when we were informed about this situation and informed you, but apparently nothing has changed to date. Now that construction is ongoing, we just learned the real reason for this change-reduced funding! Below please find a copy of a letter I sent to our local officials and Senator Bob Casey, as well as responses from Kate Harper and our township manger Larry Comunale about this problem. I also asked Larry Comunale to send a copy of my email to the Board of Supervisors as the email address listed on the township website did not work for me.
Your voices need to be heard as well! Only a few neighbors responded last time which resulted in no change to date. Email addresses are listed below to contact these officials. Please take a few minutes to write to express your opinion about this situation and feel free to use any of my letter as a guide. If you know neighbors who are not on this contact list, please let them know as well. We will all be affected. We really need to let our officials know that funding MUST be found immediately to restore 65S to four lanes so we can maintain safety and a peaceful environment in our neighborhood.Your prompt attention and time to this matter WILL MAKE THE DIFFERENCE. If we don't act as a community now, we will live with the consequences.
Thank you for your time,
Gwen Douse
Township Manager Larry Comunale lcomunale@lowergwynedd.orgSenator Robert P. Casey, Jr. <senator@casey.senate.gov>>
PA Rep. Kate Harper kharper@pahousegop.com
Senator Stewart Greenleaf <sgreenleaf@pasen.gov>
U.S. Rep. for 13th District Allyson Schwartz contact@allysonschwartz.com
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Dear Public and Elected Officials;
Just 1,000 feet south of our development, Gwynedd Knoll, the newly expanded Route 202 highway is designed to narrow from 4 lanes to 2 lanes. Despite PENNDOT's claim that it shouldn't cause a problem, and drivers will have fair warning, etc., etc, etc., from a practical viewpoint, this hour glass traffic pattern will have an obviously highly negative impact on the flow of traffic, with drivers looking for alternatives to stalled traffic. That means, our neighborhood will once again become a cut through for those frustrated drivers. For years, our neighborhood had been promised relief from the 202 traffic that has flowed through our neighborhood causing a disruption to our peaceful community, and, more importantly, increased the potential for safety hazards to our neighbors. Children waiting at bus stops are at increased safety risk, as well as bikers, walkers, and runners. My husband and I personally have been forced to hop onto curbs with our dogs on numerous occasion, as cut-through drivers speed through our streets. In 2008, we expressed deep concern for this traffic pattern with the hope that PENNDOT will keep 202 to a 4 lane highway through that segment. We recently learned that NOTHING has changed.
PLEASE ADDRESS THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION NOW, KEEPING THE NEW 202 TO 4 LANES IN THIS SEGMENT, FOR THE SAFETY OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
Thank you very much for your prompt attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Gwen Douse
gdouse@comcast.net
Gwynedd Knoll resident
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Dear Senator Casey,
I live in a neighborhood called Gwynedd Knoll in Lower Gwyned township, a suburb west of Philadelphia. I would like to make you aware of the situation regarding the 202 highway section 65S just adjacent to our neighborhood. Originally this section of highway was slated to become a 4 lane highway from 2 lanes; our neighborswere greatly appreciative about this improvement as many drivers had been using our peaceful, lovely neighborhood to escape the heavy traffic on this highway. The cut through traffic caused safety issue for children waiting at the bus stops, walkers, runners. There were many times my husband and I would have to hop onto the curb with our dogs to avoid being hit by one of these speeding cut through drivers!
A while back we learned that part of 65S would remain a 2 lane highway, causing an hour glass configuration 1,000 feet south of our development. We wrote letters in protest then and hoped things would change. Unfortunately we just learned that 65S cannot remain a 4 lane highway because of lack of funding.
Despite PENNDOT's claim that there will not be an adverse affect on traffic for many various reasons they offered, from a practical viewpoint, this hour glass traffic pattern will have an obviously highly negative impact on the flow of traffic, with drivers looking for alternatives to stalled traffic. (As drivers, we have all sat in traffic jams as lanes narrow, despite all the signage warning of this narrowing, etc.).
That means, our neighborhood will once again become a cut through for those frustrated drivers resulting in increased unsafe conditions as more drivers seek to use 202. We have been told his lucky we are, but this is luck, currently it is BAD luck!
PLEASE do what you can to restore thus funding and the 4 lane highway throughout 65S.
Thank you very much for your much needed prompt attention to this matter!
Sincerely, Gwen Douse
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Dear Gwen,
Thanks for writing again about your concern over the construction schedule for Route 202. I will pass along your concerns to PENNDOT. By the way, it is quite true, as Larry Comunale noted, that we don't have the funding for more work on Route 202 at this time. Although it might not feel like it, this part of Montgomery County has been very fortunate in securing much funding for many highway projects in our area. The construction is a mess, but the results will make the traffic flow much more smoothly along 202, removing the incentive to cut through neighborhoods like Gwynedd Knoll. Thanks for the timely reminder about this aspect of the project. Kate
Kate Harper
State Representative
61st Legislative District
1515 Dekalb Pike
Blue Bell, PA 19422
Blue Bell: 610-277-3230
HBG: 717-787-2801
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Gwen,
I forwarded your message on to the Board. We all agree that Section 65S should proceed as originally planned. Unfortunately, there is no funding. The Township has had our traffic Consultants look at the plans for the southern terminus of the construction. They do not believe there will be a bottleneck. Also, with the completion of the Meetinghouse Road relocation (thank you Kate), it should take some cut-through traffic off of Gwynedd Knoll. I will check on the e-mail.
Larry Comunale
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