Chester public works committee tables ordinance, orders temporary signage for Tillman Street traffic concerns

The Chester Public Works Committee met June 23 and took steps to address residents' complaints about speeding on the 1300 block of Tillman Street, moving to table formal ordinance adoption while pursuing temporary signage and traffic studies.

Resident Tanisha Palmer told the committee she came to “raise the concerns for the community as it relates to the driving, and safety policies up on the 1300 Block Of Tillman Street,” and emphasized the risk to local children, including several who are autistic.

Public Works Director Andrew Heyman said he reviewed traffic-calming policies used elsewhere and recommended drafting a local ordinance modeled on a Concord Township, Delaware County, ordinance. Heyman told the committee that he would propose lowering Concord’s petition threshold — which requires 90% of residents on a block to sign for a speed study — to “50% plus 1.” He also proposed purchasing radar signs for speed studies and deterrence and suggested including funding in the 2026 capital budget.

Heyman described the multi-step process he recommends: a resident or official flags a location; petitioning by neighbors; a field investigation by Public Works; engineering measurements and design by the municipal engineer if the site meets criteria; and a council vote before any installation or bidding. He cautioned that installations are not immediate, saying, “I would expect at least several months of lag time between an, approval and installation.”

Heyman discussed hardware choices and trade-offs. He said speed tables or cushions are generally preferable to steep speed bumps because they are less likely to damage emergency vehicles and can be plowed. He advised caution about temporary speed bumps, noting they “walk” (are frequently moved or stolen) unless screwed into the pavement and that screwed-in devices can damage road surfaces and complicate resurfacing plans.

On enforcement and measurement, Heyman noted local limits and state rules, saying the city must coordinate with law enforcement and that the state has not approved municipal use of radar guns in some contexts; he said PennDOT regulations also constrain placement near intersections and on state roads. Heyman recommended working with the engineer and law enforcement on placement and enforcement approaches.

Councilwoman Gibson Williams said she favored reducing the petition requirement to “50 plus 1” because it would “allow us to move rather quickly.” She asked what interim measures could be taken; Heyman answered that generic safety signs are frequently in stock or can be produced quickly, and that a third party has offered funding for some signs (the donor was not specified). Heyman added that the city has obtained a limited number of temporary speed-attenuation devices but cautioned about their durability and impact on emergency vehicles and pavement.

Committee members and residents identified additional locations under consideration, including Thirteenth and Tillman (just north of the intersection), Carlos Lane, Carla’s Way and stretches from Ninth Street north toward Thirteenth Street. The committee discussed outreach methods for petition collection, noting petitions could be made available at City Hall, on the city website or at housing authority offices to accommodate residents without internet access.

After discussion, a motion was made to table immediate council action on a formal ordinance pending further research and to put preventive measures (signage and short-term deterring devices) in place while the committee coordinates with the engineer, law enforcement and the city solicitor. The motion text was recorded as a single proposal to table further action and to put preventive measures in place; the transcript does not record a formal roll-call vote or tally.

Next steps the committee discussed include: collecting committee feedback on a draft ordinance within roughly two weeks; directing Public Works to work with the municipal engineer and the solicitor on ordinance language and placement criteria; pursuing purchase of radar signs and other traffic-study equipment for detection and deterrence; and coordinating with Chester Housing Authority staff and property management on petition distribution at affected developments.

The meeting was then adjourned.