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Residents urge Springettsbury supervisors to act after drivers ignore speed humps near 11th Avenue
Summary
A resident told the Springettsbury Township Board that after a nearby car-rental business opened, drivers have begun "flying over" previously effective speed humps on East 11th Avenue, creating hazards for children walking to bus stops; supervisors said one-way street changes require an ordinance and staff will follow up with police and the school district.
A resident at 1318 East 11th Avenue told the Springettsbury Township Board of Supervisors during public comment that newly installed speed humps had calmed traffic until a nearby car-rental business opened, after which drivers and customers began speeding over the humps.
"They're just flying over them," the resident said, adding that children walk along the narrow street to reach a church bus stop and now sometimes cut through neighbors' yards because the bus stop was moved. The resident said attempts to reach the school district and bus company to restore the stop to 1306 East 11th Avenue were unsuccessful.
Supervisor and staff members said the town has limited enforcement options for private-driveway exits and that some traffic-control options—such as converting a street to one-way—require an ordinance. "You can't legislate good behavior," the chair said, while also acknowledging the board would "get our heads together" and look for solutions.
Township staff said they had re-anchored damaged speed humps in the neighborhood and would continue maintenance; the manager noted that Sherman Street is scheduled to close in mid-June for bridge work, a change that could shift cut-through traffic patterns and affect the problem on 11th Avenue.
Board members discussed alternatives including signage at other entrances to warn drivers of closures, temporary parking restrictions to ease passage for buses and large vehicles, and asking police to increase enforcement. Staff said one-way conversions require an ordinance and public notice, while speed humps can be installed or removed without that formal process.
The resident asked the board to coordinate with the school and police before the next school year. The board said staff would follow up with the school district and the township police and revisit the item at a future meeting.
