Updated: Morrisville Prepares for Expected Truck Ban with Vote Scheduled for Nov 19

**Update – Tuesday – November 19**

Council was expected to vote on an ordinance change banning trucks weighing more than 10 tons from traveling on South Pennsylvania Avenue. However, in reviewing the posted agenda for tonight’s meeting a new agenda item related to banning truck traffic on South Pennsylvania avenue has appeared and it’s calling for extending the ban further out on South Pennsylvania Avenue or to additional streets.

**Original Story**

Morrisville Borough is in full prep mode with an upcoming vote to ban trucks weighing more than 10 tons from traveling on S. Pennsylvania Avenue.

The anticipated ban will be voted on by Council at its next meeting, a week away, on November 19th. The anticipated ban on S. Pennsylvania Avenue has left the borough in a waiting state for signage from PennDOT to be installed and advertising to begin. Council agreed to advertising the ordinance change unanimously at last month’s meeting.

In recent years, with heavy tractor-trailer truck traffic increasing on a main arterial in town, local and state officials took a series of escalating actions to address the problem and growing concerns with PennDOT.  State senator Steve Santarsiero who took a long view of the issue, knowing banning truck traffic could be a heavy lift without more concrete information, has championed getting the proposed restriction into place.

“When Morrisville Borough residents and officials first brought the issue of excessive truck traffic on S. Pennsylvania Avenue to my attention, it was clear it would take time to find the right solution to balance the interests of residents and area businesses. The prohibition of trucks on S. Pennsylvania Avenue will bring relief to residents and ensure the structural integrity of the roadbed remains intact,” Santarsiero  said in September when the prohibition was first announced.  

Borough officials said additional efforts are underway such as looking at ways to slow down all traffic from S. Pennsylvania Ave from U.S. Route 1 to Post Road, and also West Philadelphia Avenue from South Pennsylvania to Wright Avenue. Proposals to beautify roadway are also underway with Gilmore and Associates tapped to develop plans.

Morrisville Borough Police have been out on the avenue warning truck and tractor-trailer operators of the impending change and providing warnings to those drivers which will be formalized once the PennDOT signs are placed in the very near future.