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North Side residents press council on traffic, sidewalk and accessibility hazards during public comment
Summary
Several North Side residents told Phoenixville Borough Council that speeding, a one‑way feeder street and poor sidewalk ramps make reaching homes and downtown unsafe, and that street closures for events worsen access. Council and staff heard requests for traffic calming and better ADA access but made no formal commitments at the meeting.
Several residents from Phoenixville’s North Side used the meeting’s second public‑comment period on Sept. 9 to raise safety and accessibility concerns tied to traffic patterns, sidewalk condition and downtown street closures.
Diana Cincerpino, a Fremont Street resident, said access to her house via Dayton Street is hazardous because Dayton is a one‑way and drivers often ignore restrictions. "The people fly...I have literally gone the long way around to make sure that people slow down," she said, and she described repeated near‑misses and damage to yard fencing from speeding vehicles.
Neighbor Sally Fink told council that pulling out onto Route 113 from Dayton Street is dangerous because drivers crest the hill at speed and drivers from the west come "flying over that hill." She said the limited sight lines make left turns onto 113 especially risky and that she has nearly been struck multiple times when exiting her driveway.
Resident Katie Ortiz described time delays caused by periodic downtown closures for First Friday events. She said her husband’s commute home was extended by about 20 minutes during a recent First Friday because street closures and redirected traffic created congestion. Ortiz also reported several sidewalk ramps and curb cuts on the North Side that are misaligned or in poor repair and recommended prioritizing a ramp at the High Street/Vanderslice intersection.
Councilmembers acknowledged the concerns and noted prior efforts to monitor closures and emergency access. Councilmember Berkley said staff and the police department have used temporary mitigations such as moving barricades and adding ADA accommodations during events, and staff said the police and parking teams monitor closures and can add temporary accessible parking when needed. No new ordinance, capital funding, or immediate schedule for repairs was approved during the meeting.
Craig Moritz, a resident who also spoke, urged council not to rely on religious institutions’ parking to meet downtown capacity needs and noted that privately owned lots used for parking may not contribute tax revenue.
The comments ended with residents requesting clearer detour signage, more active enforcement of speed limits on Route 113, evaluation of problematic curb ramps and consideration of event planning that better balances resident access and downtown activity. Councilmembers said staff would continue to monitor conditions and work with police and public works on operational mitigations, but no formal action or timetable was announced at the meeting.
