W. Penn rebuffs proposed relocation of Fort Franklin Road

West Penn Township has rebuffed the proposed relocation of a dangerous highway known for its heavy tanker truck volume.

On a 2-1 vote, supervisors rejected a proposal submitted by property owner David Knoedler of Ringgold Acquisition Group II, to relocate Fort Franklin Road. Supervisor Ted Bogosh was in favor of the concept.

After the meeting, board Chairman Tony Prudenti said that Knoedler wanted to change the road to go onto the other side of a barn that he owns, and wanted to relocate the road.

Township engineer Bill Anders shared his thoughts on the proposal.

“I don’t see any benefit to doing it for the township,” Anders said. “I don’t really see a purpose for it to be done at this point.”

Anders said if the proposed road was to be considered, the applicant should be required to submit a Land Development Plan to be reviewed by supervisors and the township planning commission; the road construction should meet all requirements of the SALDO ordinance for the development of the proposed road as typically required for a subdivision, whereas this proposal depicts a gravel road; the applicant’s proposal doesn’t include the purpose for the relocation and what benefit to the township the proposed relocation would provide.

Anders said that during discussion and site inspection with township roadmaster Singleton Harvey, it was determined existing stormwater control will be impacted; existing property owners using Fort Franklin Road should be contacted for input on the proposed relocation; and it appears the proposed relocation benefit would be to remove traffic from traveling in front of the Knoedler residence.

Harvey said he agreed, and added the township will try to get grant money for all the way up to the top of the mountain.

Prudenti said the township annually applies for grants to the Schuylkill County Soil Conservation District for dirt road grants for roads that have an area of the road that runs off into a stream or tributary.

He acknowledged that the roadway is in need of repair.

“The road needs to be fixed, no doubt about it,” Prudenti said. “We’re going for a grant.”

Supervisor Tim Houser added, “I don’t see the benefit to the township at this point.”

James Land Jr., president and owner of Ringgold Acquisition Group II LLC, told the board, “This has nothing to do with me.”

Prudenti said he did appreciate Knoedler making the offer to pay to fix the road.

Bogosh said he believes it would make it safer.

Resident Phillip McArdle told supervisors it’s “ridiculous” what’s going on along Blue Mountain Drive.

“My loved ones are stressed out over this,” McArdle said. “What happens when someone gets hurt?”

Houser said that while he understood McArdle’s concern, there’s nothing the township can do.

“We can’t legally stop them,” Houser said. “It might be sad, but that’s the way it is.”

Houser added, “People have to be responsible for the way they drive. It’s not always the truckers’ fault.”

In June, Allison and Phillip McArdle voiced their uneasiness with tanker traffic safety along Blue Mountain Drive and Route 309.

Phillip said at that time it’s uncomfortable to watch the tanker attempts to pull out onto 309 from Blue Mountain Drive.

He noted that it’s already a bad intersection, and that while there aren’t deaths or crashes that occur on a daily basis, it can be dicey.

In May, Allison told supervisors she could see a difference in tanker trucks’ speed along Blue Mountain Drive.

She said she spoke to Bryan Miller, president of Bryan Miller Trucking Inc. of Andreas, and that they’ve since been respectful.

Prudenti wants to negotiate a water extraction and road agreement with Land, and suggested that at Land’s expense, he run a pipeline out onto a state road.