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Harris Township adopts ordinance adding stop signs at Main and Academy
Summary
After a public hearing and resident debate about sight lines and construction traffic, the Harris Township Board of Supervisors unanimously adopted Ordinance 3‑68 to add stop signs at the Main Street and Academy Street intersection and directed staff to work with the developer on temporary advance‑warning signage.
HARRIS TOWNSHIP, Pa. — The Harris Township Board of Supervisors on Aug. 12 unanimously adopted Ordinance 3‑68 to add stop signs at the Main Street and Academy Street intersection, a measure the board said is intended to address sight‑distance and traffic‑calming concerns.
The action followed a public hearing that drew residents and a contractor representing the subdivision developer. Bud Graham, a nearby resident, told the board he had watched traffic at the intersection for decades and “there's no problem at that intersection whatsoever at this point,” arguing a stop sign was unnecessary. Diane Farr and Kathy Flood said recent changes — including a new municipal parking lot and construction traffic servicing Emma Court — had increased turning movements and made sight lines tighter.
Dave Asencio, a contractor speaking on behalf of the developer Toron Group, said the developer's original plan called for stop signs and road markings but raised concerns about ordinance language that appeared to require temporary high-cost advance‑warning digital signs. "The developer was not accounting for $1,200 a week per sign," Asencio said, urging the board to allow lower‑cost flashing fixtures or painted legends as an alternative.
Supervisors discussed engineering options, existing plan sets that had envisioned an all‑way stop, and potential impacts on on‑street parking. Board members cited traffic calming and sight‑distance as primary motivations. A voice vote adopted the ordinance; several supervisors and business owners expressed hope that temporary, developer‑provided warning signage would be used until drivers adjusted to the new pattern.
Next steps: staff will coordinate with the developer on temporary warning measures; enforcement and any additional signage were left to staff and the developer to arrange.
