State Route 45 detour raises safety concerns

Residents request a different detour route.
By MARY POFF
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
CHAMPION -- Township trustees heard citizen concerns on potential danger to residential streets due to the detour on state Route 45 at a meeting Monday night.
Susan Huntington of Stewart Drive and Brenda Houstal of Brookside Drive live on the roads that are marked as the detour for the closed area. The roads are in a residential area that rarely sees constant heavy traffic, but with the detour, residents say their quiet neighborhood has been turned into a public highway.
WRTA buses, tractor-trailers and an endless stream of cars are filling the neighborhood with noise, heavy weight and speeding cars, residents told the board. They are concerned about the safety of children and the risk of car accidents.
Speed limit reduction
Huntington proposed a speed limit reduction to 25 mph to slow the traffic down as well as a maximum weight limit to keep the large semi's off the residential streets. Board member Jeffrey Hovanic said he spoke to the WRTA and requested they find another route and they said they will as soon as school is out.
Hovanic said he will look into incorporating a temporary speed change while the detour is in effect, about 120 days.
Another resident complained about loud noise from traffic between 7 and 9 p.m. on Templeton and North Leavitt roads. Police Chief Dennis Steinbeck said the police will patrol this area as much as possible to resolve the problem.
Road upgrade
The board announced that the planning commission will be discussing Clover Crest Drive, the road that leads into the Cranberry golf course and condos. They want to upgrade that road to meet the county subdivision regulations so it can be used as a public road instead of private property owned by the golf course. The commission sees the need for more public street space in the area.
Zoning Inspector Rhonda Fonce announced that residents who don't keep their grass mowed and free of excess debris will be sent a notice. The resident will be given time to correct the problem, but if they don't, the township will correct the problem and the resident will pay for the service through their county taxes.
Road Supervisor Ron Hickox wants the public to be informed of keeping the cemetery plots cleaned and weeded regardless of whether they are decorated with plastic or live flowers. His department recently repaired damaged headstones at township's expensive.