Speed limits on seven Hopewell Township roads will be reduced if a proposed ordinance is adopted by the Township Committee tonight (Sept. 6)
By: John Tredrea
Speed limits on seven Hopewell Township roads will be reduced if a proposed ordinance is adopted by the Township Committee tonight (Sept. 6).
The committee voted unanimously to introduce the ordinance, which comes at the recommendation of the Mayors Task Force on Traffic and Trucking, on Aug. 16. That task force works regularly with a liaison from the Hopewell Township Police Department, Sgt. Frank Fechter.
Under the proposed ordinance, two roads with limits now posted at 40 mph would have their limits reduced to 35 mph. They are Harbourton-Mt.Airy Road, in the northwestern township, and Harbourton-Woodsville Road, in the north-central township.
The other five roads covered by the ordinance have no posted limits, meaning their limits, under state law, are 50 mph. The limit on three of these roads will be posted at 35 mph if the ordinance is adopted. They are Pleasant Valley-Harbourton and Goat Hill roads, both in the northwestern township, and Stony Brook Road, in the east-central township.
The limit on the remaining two roads covered by the ordinance will be cut to 25 mph if it is adopted. They are Valley Road and Woodens Lane, both in the northwestern township.
As with any proposed municipal ordinance, the Township Committee will have to hold a public hearing on this one before it casts an adoption vote.
Jon Edwards, director of Public Safety for the Township Committee, explained the speed limits decisions as follows Tuesday:
"Three of the roads involved petitions from residents along those roads that were subsequently reviewed by the Hopewell Township Police Department and the Mayors’ Task Force on Traffic and Trucking Harbourton-Mt. Airy Road (40 to 35); Harbourton-Woodsville (40 to 35); Pleasant Valley-Harbourton (unmarked, and hence 50 to 35.)
"Frank Fechter and the Hopewell Township Traffic Unit reviewed speed limits on all municipal roads in Hopewell Township and forwarded their Recommendation Report to the Mayors’ Task Force and to the Hopewell Township Committee.
"The report found that the following three roads have no limits and therefore have 50 mph limits by default Goat Hill Road (to 35 mph); Stony Brook Road (to 35 mph); Valley Road (to 25 mph) and Woodens Lane (to 25 mph).
"The main consideration throughout is the safety of residents and the motoring public," said Mr. Edwards Tuesday.
Sgt. Fechter said Wednesday that there are three acknowledged limits: open country, 50 mph; suburban-residential, 35 mph; and residential, 25 mph. However, speed limits that have been set by ordinances for various roads in the township take precedence over the rule-of-thumb limits noted above. Sgt. Fechter said residents should know that the limits to he is referring apply to township roads …. not county or state roads.

