North Lebanon officials attempt solutions for residents' Walmart warehouse traffic woes

North Lebanon Township Board of Supervisors took actions to address Walmart traffic concerns on Emma Road, in response to residents' pleas at the board's September meeting.

Karen Simpson thanked the supervisors and administrators Monday. She also thanked them for keeping the residents informed of the steps the township was taking to resolve residents' concerns.

Simpson was one of numerous residents of Emma Road who told the supervisors last month of multiple issues caused by trucks heading to the Walmart distribution center traveling on the short winding rural road. Issues included the trucks driving onto private property and traveling over the posted speed limit.

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The township supervisors recently received approval from North Annville Township, where the intersection is located, to install a sign informing drivers that no truck traffic is permitted on Emma Road with the exception of local delivery trucks and small trucks. Simpson asked the supervisors in September if a "No Trucks" sign could be posted at the western end of Emma Road, where it intersects with Russell Road.

Township administrators also called the management office of the Walmart distribution center to discuss the complaints made by the residents. Walmart then contacted its carriers to advise them of the routes they should be taking to get to its building, according to board chairman Ed Brensinger.

The company also posted its own signs directing trucks leaving the facility to Route 72, and a sign advising drivers that Elias Avenue, where the eastern end of Emma Road intersects, is not an outlet.

Also, township highway department workers did grading work to reduce the flow of storm water from the distribution center land that had been causing water problems on some residential properties.

Officials are still looking into the complaints about the noise made by the loud beeping sounds of trucks backing up during night hours, township manager Cheri Grumbine said. She assumes the beepers are required by the U. S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, so the only other option may be to build a sound barrier wall. A vegetation barrier is another option but would take years of growth to be effective.

Also at the meeting, Grumbine informed the board a copy of a scoping application has been received by the board for a potential development plan for a warehouse on property located east of Narrows Drive.

A scoping application is submitted to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation by a developer requesting a meeting with the department and the local municipality to determine what information should be included when an engineer does a traffic impact statement for a proposed land use along or near a state highway.

The study would then be submitted to PennDOT when a developer applies for a highway occupancy permit from the department.

Factors considered at a scoping meeting could include the type of existing roadways and intersections near the development and data of traffic currently generated by residential areas, schools, and businesses in the area. Grumbine advised the supervisors to give thought to these concerns prior to the meeting.

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Contracts for heating and air conditioning improvements at the township municipal building were awarded to G. F. Bowman Inc. of Cleona for electrical work in the amount of $133,500 and Spotts Brothers Inc., of Schuylkill Haven for electrical work for $37,375. Each contractor was the low bidder.

Brensinger recognized Cub Scouts and leaders from Boy Scout Troop 439 who were in attendance at the meeting and who had used the township flag pole to practice flag etiquette prior to the meeting.

This article originally appeared on Lebanon Daily News: North Lebanon officials attempt solutions for Walmart truck woes