BIG Engineer: With or Without Billboards Traffic Safety Not Linked to Billboards

NEWTOWN SQUARE–Another round of billboard hearings in with the Bartkowski Investment Group, Inc. (BIG) occurred on Wednesday evening with another chosen BIG engineer to testify in a three-hour cross-examination.

At the last hearing in May, by Jim Byrne, the attorney representing Newtown Township, in his analysis of the roadway and traffic conditions along the 1.3-mile stretch along West Chester Pike in Newtown–the location of which three proposed billboards have been submitted by BIG.

The proposed location for the three billboards have been designated between Media Line Road and just before St. Albans Circle. The three locations of the billboards include the auto shop at 3105 West Chester Pike; Newtown Hair Stylng at 3513 West Chester Pike; and at 3545 West Chester Pike.

In addition to Richardson, Carl Primavera, the attorney representing BIG, introduced another engineer, Michael Tantala of Tantala Associates, LLC, for cross examination. Tantala, who has attended the University of Pennsylvania for undergrad and Princeton University for graduate school as well as a candidate for a PhD for civil engineering, has been with Tantala Associates for nine years as a civil engineer.

But before Tantala's exaimination began, Byrne finished up the cross examination of Richardson's studies.

When prompted by Byrne whether someone in a bedroom upstairs of one of the homes behind the proposed locations of the billboards facing West Chester Pike would have a hard time sleeping at night with an illuminated billboard sign, Richardson stated that he did not believe that the sign would affect that person.

"If you’re going to sleep, I don’t believe that sign would be an issue," said Richardson.

Charles Brown, one of the residents, among the approximate 20, who went on public record protesting BIG's application for the proposed billboards, asked Richardson why he went to the proposed locations at off-peak hours.

"The study itself was based upon information on PennDOT (Pennsylvania Department of Transportation) and the information has been accrued over many years," explained Richardson. "I went at off-peak hours because I thought they were appropriate times." But Richardson also admitted that West Chester Pike did currently experience "heavy traffic volumes."

In the cross examination with Tantala, Byrne questioned Tantala Associates' membership and affiliation with the United States Sign Council (USSC), in which Tantala's firm is a preferred supplier for the Council.

Byrne read a statement written on USSC's website that declared: "USSC is managed by signpeople [sic] for the benefit of signpeople [sic]…It’s a concept we call Signpower [sic], and it has made USSC the fastest growing organization ever to impact the sign industry."

Tantala mentioned he was unaware that his firm was a member or preferred supplier to the Council. Byrne asked whether a conflict of interest would be made for Tantala, who had confirmed that he had performed various independent studies under the Council, even though he was a member.

BIG had hired Tantala to provide a traffic hazard study "gnerally in the correlation of traffic safety and outdoor advertising billboards and to find the appropriateness of the proposed billboards, and whether they will represent traffic or structural hazards," explained Tantala.

Tantala said he reviewed site and strucural plans as provided by BIG, looked at the sites on aerials and other reference maps, including PennDOT traffic maps, and visited the site of the proposed location of the billboards on six different occasions, the sixth being right before Wednesday's hearing.

According to Tantala, he had circled the area of the proposed billboard site twice on Wednesday evening around 5:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. and said there was no traffic in his direction but admitted there was "heavy traffic" in the opposite lanes of West Chester Pike.

In conclusion of his studies, in which a final revision was made on July 15, Tantala stated, "It is within our professional opinion with a reasonable engineering certainty, and on the basis of the design, location, configuration, size, height, and lighting, that the proposed three billboards on West Chester Pike in the Township of Newtown, will not present a traffic obstruction for vehicles moving on the route, will not obstruct sight distances between the driver and other motorists and pedestrians, will not detract or interfere with the effectiveness of official traffic-control devices, and are appropriate in height and size on the basis of industry guidelines."

In addition, Tantala stated that it was in his opinion to provide drivers with an "opportunity" to view the billboards for around 11.9 to 12.3 seconds from a distance while driving along West Chester Pike.

"I would like them to have the opportunity to see the signs in that time range," said Tantala. "The driver can glance at it, glance away, continue with the primary task of driving, ignore the sign...but I want them to have the opportunity to be able to see it, notice it, read it and do so safely."

Byrne fired back that to read those two signs, located on 3513 and 3545 along West Chester Pike, in a westbound direction, in order for that opportunity to view those signs within that timeframe provided, Tantala's analysis does not include pedestrian safety to which he confirmed.

"To be clear, as an engineer, I'm interested in the safety of pedestrians–the pedestrians crossing, the fact that they're crossing, the number of pedestrians, is not a variable in this analysis, and is not necessary as part of my conclusion," explained Tantala.

Byrne asked Tantala if he physically went behind the strip mall where the proposed billboards will be located as part of his study in which he stated he did not physically go there but did view the surrounding area.

Although the floodlights of the billboards will be shielded, residents would be able to view the structures, said Tantala, who added that this was also not part of his study.

And if a billboard were to fall down, which is possible, added Byrne, Tantala agreed that if that were the case it would likely cause damage and would likely be possible that it could harm people.

At a previous meeting, BIG stated that all of the signs will now measure at 14-feet by 48-feet and all of which have reduced its overall height. The billboard location at 3105 West Chester Pike reduced its total overall height from 62-feet to 58-feet in height; 3513's proposed billboard height dropped from 57-feet to 55-feet; and 3545's proposed billboard reduced the most in total height from 78-feet to 58-feet.

The next round of Zoning Board Hearing meeting with BIG will continue on September 14 at 7 p.m.