Politics & Government

LANTA Buses Prohibited from Palmer Section of Newlins Mill Road

Buses will now use Stocker Mill Road.

LANTA buses that had been detouring down Newlins Mill Road in Palmer Township to get to the Palmer Industrial Park will now use Stocker Mill Road.

With the recent closure of the Tatamy Bridge, several LANTA buses had used Newlins Mill Road, but concerns over safety and noise from the Board of Supervisors and at least one homeowner have prompted the bus line to reroute down Stocker Mill Road.

On Tuesday, the supervisors voted unanimously in favor of having the bus line run down Stocker Mill Road instead of Newlins Mill Road.

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According to Owen O’Neil, planning director for LANTA, the buses were taking Newlins Mill Road in an effort to save time on the route that runs to the Slate Belt. About 50-60 people rely on the bus line to get to and from work daily in the Palmer Industrial Park, according to O’Neil.

LANTA had used the Tatamy Bridge for the route, O'Neil said, but began using Newlins Mill Road as a detour after the bridge closed in May. The bridge was closed due to deck damage; work is expected to take around 18 months to complete.

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“With the bridge out in Tatamy Borough this was the easiest way to do it and not have a real adverse effect on the schedule,” said O’Neil.

Other routes considered -- such as the one using Northwood Avenue -- would have added 15 minutes to each route, he added.

“There’s very little options without doubling back,” said O’Neil.

Two bus lines, routes 5 and S, are currently using Newlins Mill Road, O’Neil said.

A total of 21 buses will go down Stocker Mill Road on weekdays. Until the bridge work is completed, LANTA planned on having 26 weekday buses use Newlins Mill Road between 6am and 7:30pm and 12 buses on Saturday between 7am and 6:30pm. There is no bus run on Sunday. The route, which will now be called 214, will have the same number of runs but on Stocker Mill Road.

Supervisor Ann-Marie Panella said Stocker Mill Road would be the most logical route since the homes on the street are set farther back and there are less stop signs than on Newlins Mill Road. But O’Neil said that route, although considered, was not taken because it would take longer.

“Newlins Mill is our best-case scenario; it’s the most direct,” said O’Neil.

Supervisor Robert Lammi said he was concerned over buses using Newlins Mill Road once school begins in the fall.

“Stocker Mill is probably less of a grade to me looking at it from a safety perspective," said Lammi. "To me that’s a much safer route to take than this one here [Newlins Mill Road]."

Newlins Mill Road resident June Roettger said to allow the buses, in addition to trucks, down her road has become a major problem since the Tatamy Bridge closure.

“The sheer volume of buses and trucks using this road ... it’s a problem,” said Roettger. “It’s a scary place.”

There is a weight restriction on Newlins Mill Road that prohibits trucks; however, trucks reportedly have been using the road as a detour.

Public Works Director Tom Adams said neighboring Forks Township has agreed to move signs prohibiting trucks from Bushkill Drive to Newlins Mill Road in an effort to deter some of the truck traffic. This also allows Palmer Township Police to legally issue tickets to violators.


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