By John Chambless
Staff Writer

The problem of speeding motorists was brought before the Franklin Township Board of Supervisors at their monthly meeting on March 28.

A resident spoke to the board about speeding and unsafe conditions on Gypsy Hill Road. She said a fence at an apartment complex on the road has been hit by vehicles three times in the last year. She asked the board to place two raised speed tables on Gypsy Hill Road to divert and slow down the cut-through traffic. Township Manager Joan McVaugh responded that she is working with the school district to change the location of the bus stop, which is currently at the intersection of Gypsy Hill Road and Route 896. She said the district seems agreeable to asking the bus companies allow their buses to travel down Gypsy Hill Road and drop children off at their driveways, rather than making them walk along the road.

The township has also considered purchasing an electronic sign that will display messages to slow down, rather than report a driver's speed. The supervisors discussed whether speed tables would be beneficial, but the majority feel that the problems associated with the tables would outweigh any benefit.

Another resident, who lives on Appleton Road, said speeding is also a problem there. She has contacted the township, the Pennsylvania State Police and PennDOT. The State Police said they could not enforce the speed limit between the exit of Route 896 and a stop sign at Appleton Road. However, they did say they could increase monitoring of the four-way stop at Appleton and Walker roads, since drivers frequently do not come to a complete stop at that location. A State Police Sergeant has said that most of the offending drivers are local residents who live off of Walker Road. A resident told the board that she will buy signs to place on her lawn to warn drivers to slow down. Chairman John Auerbach read a letter he wrote to local media in 2013 about speeding throughout the region, not just in Franklin Township.

Tim Sawyer, a partner at the firm Barbacane Thornton, reviewed the 2017 Township Audit with the board. He complimented the township on a smooth audit process and said there are no issues. The whole audit can be viewed on the township website under the “Township Financials” tab.

Several residents from Den Road requested that extra lining be added to the tennis courts at Crossan Park to allow people to play pickle ball there. Currently the players have to travel to the Newark Senior Center to play. The supervisors unanimously accepted the proposal to turn the vacant skate park into a pickle ball court and to install the proper equipment at a cost not to exceed $1,600.

The board approved a 2018-2019 hunting license to the Franklin Sportsman’s Association. Supervisor Nancy Morris requested that the group maintain the Geoghegan Trail since the resident who currently maintains it as a service cannot commit to ongoing management. Jim German, a member of the Sportsman's Association, agreed. Auerbach also thanked the group for their work.

Nancy Morris, who is leading this year’s Great American Cleanup of Franklin Township on April 21, said residents can clean up their own neighborhoods or be assigned a road. Cleanup starts at 8 a.m. and continues through noon. Participants should meet at the Township Office. Safety vests, gloves and trash bags will be provided. Call 610-255-5212 to register.

The supervisors tabled a proposal from Stantec to evaluate Peter Christopher Drive, Benjamin Run and Peacedale Road. The proposal is to help the township determine who is responsible for the failure of these roads after they were improved in 2015. Township Manager McVaugh said she will contact PennDOT to review the proposal. This proposal was tabled until the April Board of Supervisors meeting.