FORKS TWP., Pa. – More than half a dozen concerned citizens appeared at Thursday night's meeting of the Forks Township Board of Supervisors to express their concern about a rumored bridge to be built on Kesslersville Road.
The builder of the nearby Lafayette Hills development has requested to speak to the township supervisors Nov. 4, and the residents believe the builder will propose a bridge at the meeting.
They are concerned about increased traffic they say the bridge would attract on what is already an inadequate road system.
Resident Daniel Dawson expressed concern about how the raw traffic study data would be acquired and if the township would be using the right data to make its decision.
Chairman John O'Neil sought to allay the citizens' concerns after the first speaker.
"The builder, or anybody, has a right to ask for a meeting but no vote will be taken," O'Neill said. "No plans have been submitted to the township."
In September, township Planning Commissioner Dean Turner said there had been previous discussions to address the lack of connection of Kesslersville Road between Wagon Wheel Drive and Ben Jon Road.
Kesslersville Road is currently maintained by PennDOT, which would have to approve the connection. In addition, the vacant land which would connect the two portions of Kesslerville Road would also have to be approved by its owner, developer Abe Atiyeh.
Turner said in September that Atiyeh owns some four to five parcels in the general area where construction would occur and has expressed that he is willing to discuss the matter with township officials.
Warehouse plans
The supervisors did approve on Thursday night two preliminary/final plans, with conditions, for warehouse projects near Kesslersville Road.
One project is a 160,000-square-foot property at Glover Road and Richmond Road; the other is a property at 600 Kuebler Road and Kesslersville Road.
Other actions
The supervisors approved a purchase order for Grace Industries in the amount of $347,329.17 to be paid from the liquid fuels fund for the 2021 road paving project, as approved by bid.
The supervisors also signed off on a purchase order for Horwith Freightliner for a 2023 tandem axle dump truck chassis in the amount of $108,161 for the chassis and $5,117 for an extended warranty, for a total of $113,278 to be paid from the utility capital fund with the purchase to be leased with terms to be determined.
In conjunction with the Horwith purchase order, the supervisors approved a purchase order in the amount of $56,970 issued to Triad Truck Equipment, for the dump body package to outfit the dump truck. The cost will be paid from the utility capital fund, to be combined in the lease/purchase of the tandem truck.
The supervisors OK'd another purchase order issued in the amount of $26,365 to Triad Truck for the heavy duty snow plow package needed to outfit the truck, to be a lease/purchase paid from the general capital fund.
A revised stormwater management agreement for the Uhler Road/Sullivan Trail project in order to meet requests by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation was also approved.
Finally, the supervisors released a letter of credit in the amount of $53,225 and escrow in the amount of $4,602 for The Storage Center on Sullivan Trail.
