Solebury Approves Restrictions On Roadway To Combat Traffic Problems, Speeding

The sign at Lower Mountain Road and Lower York Road. File photo.

Solebury Township will soon have new traffic restrictions on Lower Mountain Road to limit through traffic.

The ordinance was approved by the Solebury Township Board of Supervisors last week and targets drivers cutting through from Route 202 (Lower York Road) to Aquetong Road to avoid congestion at the intersection during peak hours.

The restrictions, which will be enforced by police, will be in place on weekdays between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Solebury Township police studies showed high traffic volumes on Lower Mountain Road.

Sgt. Marc Mansour reported 12,000 vehicles in a two-week period. Of those, 2,400 exceeded the 25 mph speed limit by more than 11 mph.

The ordinance is a “measured approach” to address safety concerns while making sure there is continued residential access, Township Manager Christopher Garges said.

The township plans to reevaluate the ordinance in several months.

The decision follows complaints from residents and the police analysis confirming high traffic volumes for the residential roadway.

Police enforcement will focus on peak morning and afternoon hours, and signs will be installed to inform drivers of the new restrictions, officials said.

“Our officers are very reasonable. We’re not looking to hammer anyone,” said Chief of Police Kelley Warner.

The chief said the enforcement approach will first be focused on education and warnings.

Residents living on or in the immediate vicinity of Lower Mountain Road will not be considered through traffic, officials said.

Several residents attended the meeting to express support for the ordinance and talked about dangerous conditions on the narrow, winding road with blind corners.

“Every time I pull out of there, I’m just waiting for the 50 mph T-bone,” said resident Christopher Moore.

Kim Dunn, a Lower Mountain Road resident, voiced concerns about the volume and type of traffic on the roadway.

“There are tractor trailers — 40, 60 foot tractor trailers — that are going down our road,” she said, noting most of the trucks aren’t local.

The township explored alternative solutions before implementing the through-traffic limitations.

Mark Roth, the township’s traffic engineer, explained that speed humps were deemed unsuitable due to the road’s characteristics, including its curves and lack of curbs.

Proposed double yellow line striping to slow traffic raised worries from residents, according to Garges.

Township officials opted to implement the through-traffic restriction first, and Garges noting that other options remain available if problems persist.

Police will conduct follow-up traffic studies to assess the ordinance’s impact on vehicle counts and speeding violations, Roth said.

Officials noted that GPS navigation platforms, like Google Maps, contribute to the cut-through problem by directing drivers to Lower Mountain Road as a quicker alternative to the Route 202 traffic signal.

Roth told the supervisors that municipalities have limited recourse in addressing routing algorithms.

Residents also raised concerns about enforcement logistics and potential increased congestion at the Route 202 intersection as diverted traffic seeks alternative routes.

The township is working with traffic engineers to improve signal timing at the busy intersection.

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