Mayor gives updates on safety fixes requested by residents
They look like triangles or white letter Zs, and have been popping up on Lansdale’s streets lately.
And they’re one result of years of discussion and debate, as Lansdale staff have begun long-awaited road safety fixes throughout the town.
“The Lansdale public works team has started up our seasonal roadway painting, including painting stop bars and striping,” said Mayor Rachael Bollens.
“I drove through the west ward the other day, and I love the bars on the streets. And I’m so glad that’s an idea that came out of one of our many meetings,” she said.
In early February, residents from that ward petitioned council for road and sidewalk safety improvements, the continuation of several years of complaints about traffic throughout town and drivers speeding and ignoring stop signs on the town’s side streets. Residents have continued to raise concerns as several accidents have happened along those studied streets in recent years, and asked for added stop signs, crosswalk stripes, no-parking lines at intersections to improve sightlines, and to consider higher-cost fixes like bump-outs or added sidewalks where possible.
Later that month, those residents announced they had formed a coalition to ask council for fast fixes in the area, and council and police vowed to meet with the group to find areas where they could act quickly. In March police said they had begun some of those efforts, including changes to traffic flow near York Avenue Elementary School, as those in the area asked for more fixes and faster action.
Staff and police said in early April that work would begin once weather allowed, and said parking could be lost at some intersections as lines and stripes were added and painted. During the April 15 council meeting, Bollens gave an update, saying those safety stripes had already started appearing, and more will likely follow soon.
“It’s not just painting the curbs yellow, but adding the bars. So thank you to out public works, for doing that. This identifies where parking’s not permitted, to increase visibility, sightlines for pedestrians, cars and cyclists,” Bollens said.
One public comment on the new stripes was made from resident Megan Kochersperger, who thanked council, police and staff for hearing out the residents, and acting on their input.
“We see the striping that’s happening, the stop lines that are going in, the Z-striping, or whatever you want to call that. I absolutely love that. I think it’s going to be super effective at showing people where you can’t park,” she said.
A few weeks ago, Kochersperger added, she saw a roofing contractor truck parked at one of those corners that obstructed a stop sign from view of other drivers, and asked that contractor to relocate to stay safe.
“The stop sign was completely invisible, so I actually pulled over and I asked the contractor to move their truck, which they did. But in the future, I’m confident these stop lines are going to actually save lives, and prevent harm. I’m hoping we continue that positive momentum, and get some things done,” she said.
Bollens added her own thanks to the dozens of residents who petitioned and pled for the safety fixes, and gave specific suggestions.
“There’s been a lot of grassroots support. I don’t think I’ve seen so many people in this room, every month, in my entire time up here. That’s a direct result of your advocacy,” she said.
“I said the same thing, driving through the other day: ‘If that line saves one life, we did it.’ That’s huge. That’s what this is about. So thank you – and we’re not done with painting, there’s a lot more to come. And the weather’s on our side now, hopefully, so we can get out and start implementing the rest of that plan,” Bollens said.
Lansdale’s borough council next meets at 8:30 p.m. on May 6 and the public safety committee next meets at 6:30 p.m. that night, both at the borough municipal building, 1 Vine Street. For more information visit www.Lansdale.org.
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