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Drivers, Sign-Movers Endangered Township Employees, Chief Says

Skibo Road sign police lower saucon township

Lower Saucon Township Police Chief Tom Barndt delivered a warning to motorists who think road signs don’t apply to them last week: “Do not move or drive around ‘Road Closed’ signs.”

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Skibo Road sign police lower saucon township

Signs mark the intersection of Skibo and Victor roads in Lower Saucon Township. Township police said a number of drivers lost patience with a paving project on Skibo last week, disregarding “Road Closed” signs and endangering public works employees in the process.

Lower Saucon Township Police Chief Tom Barndt delivered a warning to motorists who think road signs don’t apply to them last week: “Do not move or drive around ‘Road Closed’ signs.”

In a post on the department’s Facebook page, Barndt described a potentially dangerous situation in which drivers ignored and tried to drive around or in some cases exited their vehicles and “threw…signs to the side of the roadway” as public works employees were paving Skibo Road Aug. 25.

“The Public Works Department had Road Closed, Detour signs and traffic cones posted on the approaching roadways to the paving project,” Barndt said. “Throughout the day several motorists failed to obey the signs, (and) drove around them in an attempt to drive through.”

Barndt said officers patroling the area stopped six vehicles and issued four written warnings, one traffic citation for Drivers Required to be Licensed and one citation for an inspection violation.

“The safety of our Public Works employees is very important to us and this is obviously the reason for the road closures and detours,” he said in the post. “The Police Department urges all motorists not to drive around the signs or move them. Your poor judgment in doing this may cause you to get a traffic citation and could ultimately cause serious injury to one of our township employees.”

“Slow down, take your time and obey traffic signs,” he added.

The Lower Saucon Township Police Department also issued a reminder regarding school bus safety laws last week.

In Pennsylvania, it is illegal to pass a school bus when its red lights are flashing and stop arm is extended. If convicted of breaking the School Bus Stopping law, a driver could get a $250 fine, five points on their driving record and a 60-day suspension of their license.

In 2016, 730 motorists were convicted for breaking the state’s School Bus Stopping Law, the Facebook post noted.

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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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