Detour, bridge work send traffic onto Arnold Avenue; residents press township for safety measures

Residents of the Arnold Avenue/Woodland Road area told Abington Township elected officials on March 13 that a county bridge project has produced sustained, heavy detour traffic that is endangering children and disrupting daily life.

“I almost got hit several times trying to get into my truck,” resident Matt Miller said, describing traffic he said was passing on his block. Samantha Miller, who described children waiting at a school bus stop at Petain and Arnold, said drivers were performing “donuts at the intersections” and that “we've had 2 accidents in the last 2 weeks.” Bob Dudley, a longtime resident, said he could not understand why work on a “small bridge” would stretch to eight months and that detour signage was being routinely ignored.

Township traffic safety staff and commissioners acknowledged the problem and described immediate measures. Mike Coughlin of the township traffic safety unit said the department was “taken off guard by the project,” that SEPTA had not been notified initially and that officers have deployed message boards and a portable radar speed sign on Arnold Avenue. Coughlin said the department added an oversized county message board at Easton and Susquehanna to discourage trucks and that officers planned overtime enforcement details between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. to increase presence and perform targeted enforcement.

“ We're out there. We see the traffic and we feel for you,” Coughlin told residents. The department said it would coordinate with the county to adjust signage and ask SEPTA and large commercial carriers to follow posted detours. Commissioners said they had asked county partners for clarifications and will request county representatives at a neighborhood meeting.

Commissioner Schreiber said the board will convene a community meeting in roughly two weeks to review proposals, evaluate experimental fixes and solicit resident feedback. He and other commissioners asked residents to submit photos and videos; staff said those materials will be collected and shared with county officials and police for on‑the‑ground evaluation.

Residents proposed temporary traffic calming and signage changes: Samantha Miller suggested temporary one‑way segments and speed cushions; others asked for increased enforcement, better placement of closure signs and outreach to truck carriers and dealerships whose car‑carrier trucks have been using neighborhood streets. Traffic staff advised residents to report problem times and incidents to the traffic safety unit for follow‑up and directed residents to the department contact number reported during the meeting.

The township also said staff will request a county explanation for the project timeline and additional signage moves; residents said their primary concerns are child safety at bus stops and the volume and type of commercial traffic using residential streets. Police and commissioners affirmed they will continue enforcement and convene the community meeting to evaluate fixes and next steps.