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Mayor: ‘There Will Be No Crosswalk’ at Tobias Drive, Walnut Street

Crosswalk

A small but vocal group of parents has been advocating for a year or better for a crosswalk they say is needed at Tobias Drive and Walnut Street, near Saucon Valley Elementary School. However, after reviewing the request, officials have decided one isn’t needed.

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Crosswalk

Signs affixed to a utility pole at the intersection of Tobias Drive and Walnut Street in Hellertown borough encourage pedestrians to use a crosswalk several hundred feet east of the intersection, at Walnut Street and Constitution Avenue.

A small group of parents has been advocating for a year or better for a crosswalk they say is needed at Tobias Drive and Walnut Street, near Saucon Valley Elementary School. However, after reviewing the request, officials have decided one isn’t needed there.

Hellertown mayor David Heintzelman announced the decision at a borough council meeting Monday. He said he recently met with officials from the school district, Lower Saucon Township and the borough and township police departments to discuss the matter.

The primary reason Heintzelman said a crosswalk and curb cuts won’t be installed at the Tobias Drive intersection is that there is already a crosswalk about a block away at Constitution Avenue and Walnut Street.

That crosswalk is also controlled by stop signs and monitored by a school crossing guard during arrival and dismissal times, he noted.

Schoolchildren walking to the elementary school from homes in Hellertown borough are able to access the Constitution Avenue crosswalk via the sidewalks that lead to it.

Of the Tobias Drive crosswalk, Heintzelman said “it’s not going to happen,” but also thanked a local Girl Scout who recently sent him a letter requesting that it be installed.

“Let’s be safe and smart and just go where the crosswalks are,” he recommended.

The next Hellertown Borough Council meeting will be held Monday, March 16 at 7 p.m. at Hellertown Borough Hall, 685 Main Street.

Crosswalk

In addition to line paint, curb cuts would have to be made along the south (Lower Saucon Township) side of the Tobias Drive-Walnut Street intersection, in order for a crosswalk to be installed there. Above, Saucon Valley Elementary School can be seen in the background.

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About the author

Josh Popichak

Josh Popichak is the owner, publisher and editor of Saucon Source. A Lehigh Valley native, he's covered local news since 2005 and previously worked for Berks-Mont News and AOL/Patch. Contact him at josh@sauconsource.com.

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