Planning commission recommends intersection study PSA to Board after Bowman outlines alternatives and 4‑month schedule

The Planning Commission voted to recommend that the Board of Supervisors approve a professional services agreement with Bowman to study traffic, pedestrian and circulation issues at the Old Lancaster/Lakeside/Route 30 corridor and the railroad underpass.

Chris Williams of Bowman described a comprehensive, alternatives‑based study that would gather updated traffic counts (noting Trader Joe’s opened since earlier counts), conduct a detailed field inventory, assemble crash data, brainstorm multiple concepts (including one‑way conversions and partial closures), test up to four alternatives, and prepare implementation sequencing and ballpark cost estimates. Williams said the PSA as written came in higher than the $15–20k the commission had anticipated and suggested the commission could narrow scope if desired. He proposed three check‑in meetings with the commission and a roughly 4‑month schedule to completion.

Commissioners discussed technical elements including extending traffic‑count hours to 7 p.m. to capture evening activity, the potential value of 'near‑miss' video analysis at the tunnel approaches, and coordination with the township’s Complete Streets/Route 30 study. Staff and consultants agreed updated counts should be done before summer with counts in April or early May while school is in session.

A commissioner moved and another seconded a recommendation that the Board of Supervisors approve the PSA; the commission recorded an affirmative voice vote. The motion will be forwarded to the Board for final authorization and funding allocation.