Union Twp. approves 10 miles of road line repainting, new speed limit sign

This article was funded by LebTown donors as part of our Civic Impact Reporting Project.

The Union Township Board of Supervisors on July 9 approved a $18,004.80 line painting contract with Lincoln Pavement Services to repaint 10.4 miles of road.

This year, crews will paint 2.4 miles of Awol Road, 1.3 miles of Biddle Road, .2 miles of South Maple Lane, .1 miles of MSC Drive, 1.6 miles of Old Forge Road, 2.7 miles of Ridge Road, and 2.1 miles of South Bordnersville Road.

Township manager Brent McFeaters said that after this year’s line paintings, they hope to get on a three-year schedule of rotating through the township’s roads. He said the paint usually lasts around three years.

“The ones that I’m painting this year are highly and heavily traveled, so I want to get these brightened up for this year, and then next year, I want to start that program every three-year process,” McFeaters said. “That way, we have an idea of what we’re spending every year.”

He said the business typically comes out within four to six weeks of the board’s approval, but it will depend on their schedule and the weather. The temperature has to be warm enough so the paint can dry properly.

Supervisors also voted to add a speed limit sign to the Union Township side of the bridge on Jonestown Road, contingent on Jonestown Borough purchasing the sign.

Once over the bridge and into the borough, the speed limit drops from 35 mph to 25 mph. Police looking to give traffic tickets could have the charges challenged because drivers would be more than 500 feet from the sign, McFeaters said.

“To enforce the speed limit, the sign has to be within so many feet of where you pull them over or it’s not enforceable,” solicitor Paul Bametzreider said.

A resident spoke up, asking who would get the revenue from the tickets. He said if Jonestown is getting the money, then they should pay for the sign. McFeaters said it would be about $250, and he expects Jonestown to be all right with paying for it.

In other business, supervisors: 

• Approved the purchase of a 14-foot by 6-foot, 4-inch 2025 MCT utility trailer from Tool Shed of America for $2,099. The township will sell its 16-foot Bri Mar trailer.
• Approved time extensions for several projects, as recommended by the planning commission — 509 Jonestown Road, 181 Ridge Road, 11 Wolfe Lane, 2309 Route 72, and 3217 Route 72. They also approved a stormwater management waiver request at 107 Awol Road and its preliminary land development plan.

The Union Township Board of Supervisors will have its next regular monthly meeting at 3111 PA-72 on Aug. 13 after the 6:30 p.m. sewer meeting.