Public outcry and a potential motorist and public safety traffic hazard was avoided as an agreement was made between Bristol Township and Silvi Materials about planned work on the company’s Radcliffe Street site in Bristol Township.
Late last week, area residents in the Edgely section of Levittown and along Radcliffe Street in Bristol Borough and township noticed road closure signa going up in and around the Silvi Materials business site.
Bristol Township officials expressed serious traffic and first responder related concerns during the meeting. They cited the ongoing work on the Randall Avenue Bridge, plus the additional usage of police, fire and emergency services, on Radcliffe St. In addition, a rainy week is forecasted with potential rain Tuesday through Thursday, according to the National Weather Service. As of tonight, the risk of flooding on Green Lane is high and the section of Radcliffe St shutdown could lead to the kind of traffic nightmare no one wants.
Bristol Township Council President Craig Bowen took immediate action when the township was informed about the “road closed” signage.
“Bristol Township Solicitor Randy Flager issued a letter Friday morning requesting one of the two lanes remain open. As of 2:40 p.m we’re not exactly sure how Silvi is going to respond,” Bowen said.
The company, in June, announced plans to reactivate the railroad crossing lying dormant about 10 years and crosses Radcliffe Street. It was shut down by Conrail- Amtrak, Silvi Materials spokesmen Tim Kurz said.
The reactivation of the crossing would reduce truck traffic on Radcliffe St, a main arterial that begins in Bristol and ends in Tullytown, and reduce overhead costs such as driver salaries and gas for the trucks with trains delivering important construction building material to bring building “…dreams to fruition.”
At 4 p.m Kurz said, Silvi is going to comply with the request 0f Bristol T0wnship by keeping one lane open on Radcliffe St when work operations on the railroad crossing launch. Kurz said the signage was not supposed to be placed by workers out there at all.
“We know people have lives to live,” he said.
The reactivation project will be delayed at least until next week, Kurz said.
Sometimes, the voice of a community moves more than a train can ever move.
Sometimes!
