WHITEHALL, Pa. — Neighbors in one Allegheny County neighborhood want drivers to slow down. People who live on Spring Valley Drive in Whitehall Borough say cars speed up and down their street all day long, and they’re worried someone will get seriously hurt.
“We do have a long stretch of street here, and people think it’s a little raceway,” said Randy Payne.
Randy Payne has lived on Spring Valley Drive for 25 years. With more developments going up in Whitehall, he says he’s noticed more cars on his street. He’s also noticed an uptick in their speed.
“It’s a beautiful neighborhood,” said Payne. “There’s lots of people who walk with their dogs. There are people who are jogging up and down the street all day. Elderly people who are taking their time for a leisurely walk. It can be dangerous around here when some of the people are coming up and down too fast.”
That’s why Jared Hoffman decided to start a petition to get the borough to conduct a traffic calming study.
“There’s times when we’re walking, and we have to step off into someone’s yard because they’re coming up so quickly,” said Jared Hoffman.
Whitehall Police Chief Jason Gagorik says they frequently monitor Spring Valley because it’s a known cut through. When traffic backs up on Baptist Road, GPS takes drivers down Spring Valley. In the past, the department has set up digital speed limit signs.
“On this street, I would like to see bumps on the street to slow drivers down,” said Payne. “But the only thing that seems to work is when the police officers put up their electronic signs that show how fast people are going.”
Whitehall just recently started a traffic calming program. Hoffman says Spring Valley would only be the second street in the borough to get a study.
“People want to live here, and I think it’s important that we protect people who live here and make sure they’re safe every day,” said Hoffman.
There’s a borough meeting on Tuesday where they’re expected to discuss the possibility of doing a traffic calming study for this street.
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