Salem Township adopts ordinance adding weight-restricted roads after residents report damage to Quarry Drive

Salem Township 's Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Feb. 24 to adopt Ordinance No. 2-2026, amending the township's Restricted Roadways Ordinance No. 1-2024 (Exhibit A) to add additional roads to the list of weight-restricted highways and bridges. Supervisors Todd Paulich and Bob Zundel sponsored the enactment; all three supervisors (Kerry Jobe, Bob Zundel and Todd Paulich) voted in favor.

The ordinance follows complaints from residents who said repeated heavy hauling has damaged Quarry Drive. Resident Chad Shifko told the board that large amounts of dirt were being brought onto his property and that the road was suffering damage as a result. Supervisor Todd Paulich said he visited the site and asked Shifko to stop work because the road is posted with a 10-ton weight limit and "it should have been bonded." The board determined Quarry Drive was posted but not included on the township's formal restricted-road list, prompting the ordinance change.

The supervisors framed the measure as targeted at preventing sustained commercial hauling that exceeds local-delivery activity. When resident Joseph Pinskey Jr. asked whether the restriction would prevent his brother, Rob Greer, from returning home from work with a tractor-trailer, Supervisor Kerry Jobe said it "will not be a problem because it is considered local delivery." Jobe also said farmers are exempt from the restrictions. Resident Tim Kepple questioned how the township would determine when traffic moves beyond local delivery, and whether preexisting businesses such as Orrs would be affected. Jobe said Orrs is a preexisting business and that the township's practical ability to stop established commercial operations is limited; Todd Paulich said not all township roads have been audited yet and the board intends to add additional roadways as needed.

Procedurally, the board first voted (motion by Bob Zundel, second by Todd Paulich) to discuss adding roads to the restricted list; that motion passed unanimously. The final enactment was moved by Todd Paulich and seconded by Bob Zundel; the ordinance passed by unanimous vote. The board did not record any amendments to the ordinance during the meeting.

The supervisors also scheduled additional meetings: a special meeting on March 5, 2026 at 9:00 a.m., a regular meeting on March 18, 2026 at 7:00 p.m., and announced a special meeting on Feb. 26, 2026 to hire a Building Code Official. The meeting adjourned at 7:02 p.m.

What the ordinance does not specify in the meeting record: the staff timeline for auditing other roads, the precise list of roads added by number or street name beyond the general amendment reference, and enforcement mechanics (how many loads constitute a violation). Those items were described as to be determined in future action and are not specified in the minutes.