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Residents press council on Route 291 safety, blight and cleanup plans
Summary
During public comment, residents urged action on pedestrian and traffic safety along Route 291 after two recent crashes, described property collapses and nuisance vehicles, and highlighted block-captain cleanup events and dumpster drops; council committed to reconvening county planners for traffic‑calming updates.
A steady stream of public commenters at Chester’s June 24 meeting urged officials to act on road safety, blight and cleanup needs.
Multiple residents described recent crashes on Route 291 and said the five‑lane corridor lacks pedestrian crossings and traffic calming; Margaret Brown asked why signs and crossings have not been installed and requested that county planners return to meet with the community to report on traffic‑calming progress. Mayor Roots and councilors agreed to invite Delaware County planners back to the city for an update on planned traffic modifications.
Community organizers and volunteers highlighted ongoing cleanup efforts. Michael Lewis of the Block Captain program outlined recurring cleanup events—locations on Congress and James streets and Highland Gardens—with dumpster drops available from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and cleanup activity from 10 a.m. to noon. He asked residents to use the city’s citizen-request system to request bulk pickups and to coordinate neighborhood‑specific cleanups.
Victor (Four Circles Beyond) described a tax‑sale dispute that left a property at risk; he asked for support after a $693 missed county tax payment led to a tax sale notice. Other residents raised issues about collapsed houses that pose safety hazards and nuisance vehicle storage and requested tree trimming, pothole repair and brighter street lighting.
Councilors and staff directed residents to city departments (trash/streets/parks/police) for operational follow‑up and pledged to schedule meetings with appropriate departments and county planners. No formal policy actions were taken during public comment; council said it would facilitate follow‑up meetings.
