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Norristown council approves purchase of portable vehicle barriers for public events
Summary
The Norristown Municipal Council approved Resolution 2616 to buy portable modular vehicle barriers and a trailer to secure street festivals and other public events. Council members asked about capacity, deployment time and training before passing the measure by roll call.
Norristown Municipal Council voted to approve Resolution 2616 on March 3, 2026, authorizing the purchase of portable vehicle barriers and a trailer to improve security at public gatherings.
The measure, presented by municipal staff, was described as a package totaling about $193,120, including roughly $189,540 for the barriers from Advanced Security Technologies and about $3,580 for trailer graphics. The presenter said the devices are the yellow modular barriers used to shield sidewalks and streets during festivals and parades. The council approved the resolution by roll call; all members present voted in favor.
Council members pressed staff on operational details during the discussion. Councilmember David McMahon asked, “How many lanes do we have the ability to cover?” The presenter responded that Norristown currently has the ability to shut down about 10 lanes and that the proposed purchase would add capacity for another 10 lanes. On setup time, staff said full deployment typically takes 45 minutes to an hour and noted similar labor is needed to break the system down.
Councilmember Adira Robinson questioned whether one person could move a device and whether the purchase included a trailer. Staff said individual devices can be moved by one person but full installation requires multiple workers; the purchase includes a trailer for storage and transport and is intended to be towed by an existing municipal vehicle. Staff also said the vendor includes on‑site training for police, fire, emergency management and public works personnel so deployments are done as a system rather than as isolated devices.
Supporters told council the devices reduce the need for ad‑hoc concrete barriers and can decrease overtime and liability exposure during large events. Staff also said the municipality stores the trailer at a local fire station when not deployed and that municipal insurance will be updated to cover the new asset.
The council approved Resolution 2616 by roll call (present: William McCoy; Adira Robinson; Nylie Coulson; Jasmine Griffin; David McMahon; Dustin Queen; Rashad Bates). The presenter said the purchase will come from capital improvement funds.
What happens next: staff will complete procurement and schedule vendor training and deployment planning ahead of the town’s spring and summer events.
