Digital Billboards May Dazzle Palmer

Digital billboards may be coming to Palmer Township.

Township officials are engaged in talks with Adams Outdoor Advertising regarding two digital billboards along the Route 22 corridor.

The Board of Supervisors may finalize a deal at one of its upcoming meetings this month.

Palmer reached out to vendors in late October to submit proposals and five came back a month later.

At the last Board of Supervisors meeting of the year on Dec. 10, Township Manager Christopher Christman said he had reviewed the proposals and narrowed it down to two, with Lamar of Allentown being the other prospective candidate.

Christman told supervisors that Adams, with its history and success operating in the Lehigh Valley, was the best option.

"We're sincerely excited and confident," said Lois Arciszewski, Adams vice president of asset management and new development, who attended the meeting. "We won't disappoint. This is all we do. We'll hit the ground running."

She said that it might take at least eight months for the billboards to be erected, especially depending on permit approval from the state Department of Transportation.

Supervisors Chairman Dave Colver said the township is basically leasing land in exchange for getting a stream of revenue.

He also wondered about posting community service announcements, like key township news or initiatives or any public safety or police issues like Amber Alerts.

General Manager Tony Cioffi said Adams works with governments on those public service announcements all the time.

Christman said that Adams donated more than $1.3 million in public service announcements to 130 businesses throughout the Lehigh Valley.

"With your experience in Lehigh Valley, working with PennDOT, etc., to me that's important," Supervisor Bob Lammi said.

Cioffi said billboards can brave the elements, usually lasting seven to 10 years. He said Adams has 22 billboards throughout the Lehigh Valley right now.

One resident, Charlie Altemose, expressed concerns about how the digital billboards might distract motorists along Route 22.

Arciszewski said the billboards are "safety neutral." She stated that there's no statistical evidence that digital billboards cause accidents. Arciszewski said the billboard business is a regulated industry and is not allowed to have full motion video. And no lewd or immoral ads are allowed either.

Township Solicitor Charles Bruno said he would review an agreement before offering it to supervisors for a final vote.