West Earl Township Board of Supervisors January 11, 1999

137 West Metzler Rd.

P.O. Box 787

Brownstown PA 17508

Dear Sirs,

Attached is correspondence that I have had with our representative and PennDot concerning congestion at the intersection of Route 222 South and Route 772. I am hopeful that PennDot’s plan of improving the timing of the light at Route 272 will help alleviate the problem, but even if it does this is most likely just a short term solution. I am forwarding this correspondence to you since I am told that major traffic improvements are coordinated through the county planning commission of which the township has representation on. Unfortunately, I am also told that there is no major improvements scheduled in the county plan for this intersection.

I request that you petition the planning commission to add improving these intersections to its long term plan. The main problem is that there just isn’t enough real estate between the Rt 222S intersection and the Rt 272 intersection. Traffic quickly backs up past the 222S intersection when the Rt 272 light turns red. The normal long term solution would be to add a light at the 222S intersection. However this is not a practical solution in this case since the close proximity of the intersections would create gridlock. It is clear that any long term solution will require increasing the distance between the intersections, most likely by relocating at least one of the intersections. Please consider the ramp I have shown on my letter to Mr. Zimmerman as one possibility although there may be other feasible solutions.

I read in the paper about the Sheetz about to be built at the Rt 272 / Rt 772 intersection. This has heightened my concern for these intersections. Has the location been studied in terms of how it will effect traffic merging from Rt 772W onto Rt 272N? Any slowing in this merge will add greatly to the congestion at these intersections due to the routes’ close proximity.

Thank-you for your attention to this problem. Sincerely,