Third Round of Billboards Hearing Involves Cross-Examination of BIG's Engineer

NEWTOWN SQUARE–Wednesday evening marked the third round of billboard hearings in with the Bartkowski Investment Group, Inc. (BIG), and their chosen engineer who presented traffic studies, in which involved a nearly three-hour cross-examination.

Robert G. Richardson of Traffic Planning and Design, Inc., of Pottstown, represented as BIG's engineer, who conducted a review and analysis of the roadway and traffic conditions along the 1.3-mile stretch along West Chester Pike in Newtown; also the location of which three proposed billboards have been submitted by BIG.

The billboards are proposed between Media Line Road and just before St. Alban's Circle. The three locations of the billboards include the auto shop at 3105 West Chester Pike; Newtown Hair Stylng at 3517 West Chester Pike; and at 3545 West Chester Pike.

At the , it was concluded 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.

BIG was represented by their attorney Carl Primavera, while attorney James Byrne represented Newtown Township and several neighboring townships also involved in the billboards case on Wednesday night.

During his testimony, Richardson stated he has testified previously in Haverford Township regarding the billboards there and has been personally involved with the BIG for the past six months. Richardson also said he has visited the three proposed sites of the billboard locations in Newtown three times, one of which was Wednesday evening.

"I have traveled on West Chester Pike numerous times," said Richardson. "I've used my 22 years of experience visiting the intersections nearby, the roadway corridor, observed the roadway conditions, observed pedestrian facilities, observed traffic operations during different times in the day, along the corridor, as well as conducting an analysis of the roadway from a safety standpoint [a crash analysis]."

Richardson informed the board and the public, a part of the traffic analysis involved comparing the portion of West Chester Pike relevant to the proposed billboard locations with another local roadway in a similar situation. According to Richardson, Route 1/Township Line Road all the way to "city limits" was used in the study which deemed to be comparable as West Chester Pike in Newtown.

"There are a number of signs in the corridor that are similar in size or even larger; there are a number of signs that are smaller," said Richardson. "But the comparison that I wanted to try to convey between this corridor and the proposed sign locations here in Newtown was the roadways had similar traffic volumes, experience the same kind of issues such as the same peak hours, same number of lanes, pedestrians involved, a highly commercial area, and industrial in some cases and institutional in some cases and very little residential."

After presenting his findings to the public, Richardson said the conclusion he reached was that there was "no appreciable difference" in crash rates, whether it was with the roadway without signs [West Chester Pike] and the roadway with signs [Township Line Road].

The Traffic Planning and Design report concludes that "The 1.3 mile stretch of West Chester Pike in which the proposed outdoor advertising signs are to be constructed is not dangerous from a crash history perspective. It is our opinion that motorists using the driveways and intersections along the segment of West Chester Pike will continue to be able to utilize the roadway in a safe manner after the construction of the proposed outdoor advertising signs."

Byrne pointed out several issues in the cross-examination of Richardson's analysis.

"This report doesn't tell us whether it would be safe to put a 672-square-foot sign at some 60-feet in the air over top 3105 on West Chester Pike, 3515 on West Chester Pike or 3545 West Chester Pike," said Byrne.

Byrne also addressed the fact that Richardson visited the three locations of the proposed billboard sites at off-peak hours and only three times during his time working with BIG.

In the cross-examination made by Byrne, Richardson said that the first visit occurred on a weekday between 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.; the second visit was on a weekday in late April around the time between 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.; and Wednesday evening was the third visit in which he stayed from approximately 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

"But tonight was after when this report was prepared on May 9," said Byrne. "So we can't really count anything that you [Richardson] prepared in this report from something you did after you prepared the report."

After a question prompted by Byrne, Richardson responded that he estimated about three means of access points to the strip center he referred to which encompasses Weinrich's Bakery and Newtown Beer & Soda.

But Byrne said their studies have revealed 18 points of access or egress to that shopping center.

In addition Byrne addressed the fact that the shopping center also had curb-cut driveways, where cars parked along the curb of the parking lot could drive over the curb to enter West Chester Pike deeming it a potential danger if there was a billboard in the driver's peripheral view.

Approximately 20 residents went on record to protest BIG's application at the last hearing in which several of those residents stood up Wednesday night to ask Richardson a few questions.

Wendy Miller, the owner of businesses along 3517-3525 West Chester Pike, shared her concerns with the traffic analysis that was conducted.

"I'm disappointed with the hours that you [Richardson] you were looking at traffic problems," said Miller. "We know we have a traffic problem in that shopping center. With people coming and going...lunchtime is the hardest hour. That's why we have the 10-minute parking and people do go out all those curbs. I feel you're missing a big important part of that shopping center by not realizing the traffic that goes through there in the lunch hour."

Donna Adams from Barren Road shared her concerns about the major intersection by the Meineke involving walkers from .

"You used to be able to come out of Barren Road and turn left, but they had so many accidents that they had to stop it. So now you can only turn right," explained Adams. "That did not stop all the school children in that whole area from the high school. And what they do–they'll all walk together up Barren Road, and they cross. There's no cross-walk, there is no red light and they cross. And they are within a block and half of that sign."

According to Byrne, his cross-examination with Richardson was not completed as Primavera had apparently sent the traffic report to Byrne past 9 p.m. the night before and sought more time to finish the cross-examination with Richardson from the board. The board granted Byrne's request and the cross-examination will continue at the next hearing which has been scheduled for June 15 at 7 p.m.