Below are LVPC’s comments on the pending Allen Organ Ordinance. (allowing for apartments in commercial zones, sketch plan shows 75,000 ft supermarket and 200+ apartments)

Concerns seem valid. Interconnectivity is key. Not only inside developments but with exterior roads. This is how you limit the affect on traffic issues. We must stop developing via isolated pods that dump the majority of traffic primarily into large arterial intersections. Unless we want to start looking like Macarther Rd. New developments should have multiple entrances, exits and connections. Both for Pedestrians and Auto. This avoids funneling traffic into single large intersections.

The section reads “Direct access to an arterial road is required…..” which is fine, but the ordinance should go further encouraging additional connections to other local and collector roads. For example with the sketch plan floating around there should possibly be another truck access road off Gehman Rd. The ordinance should avoid allowing developments that funnel all traffic into one intersection. Traffic is a major concern in the township.

This sketch plan would create gridlock at Willow Lane and Rt. 100. The LVPC sees this. This should concern Macungie Borough as well. I hope they also provide comments. I know communities are getting fed up with Lower Macungie just doing whatever they want. Upper Milford and Republican Supervisor Rob Sentner in particular has expressed this.

So here we have another opportunity to see what this board does. Do they dig in and double down as they usually do or do they actually react to a comment by the LVPC. They rarely change ordinances after they are advertised.