West Chester Borough, we are frequently reminded, is just 1.8 sq. miles, a tight space that manages to encompass a vibrant University, a nationally ranked hospital, and at least 65 different dining destinations.

Unfortunately, all this action seems to be putting a strain on our small town community feels. (West Chester’s population hovers at a very manageable 18,671 residents, per the last census).

“There has been a noticeable increase in speeding, aggressive driving, and drivers disregarding stop signs throughout the northeast quadrant of the Borough. While this is not a new issue, it has gotten worse over the past 12 to 18 months,” said West Chester resident Joe Baker, who took up the cause after a near miss between a motorist and his scootering four-year-old.

“Making matters worse, there are no sidewalks, and families walk these roads to reach Marshall Square Park. It is a dangerous combination: fast-moving vehicles and young kids on foot sharing residential roads,” said Joe.

Corners of concern

However, it’s not only the northeast quadrant, or probably even just the Borough, hoping to get some brakes pumped.

On the southside of town, PennDOT is currently in the middle of a $2 million pedestrian safety project on High St. from Barnard St to Rosedale Ave. While definitely the biggest safety project in the works, it is by no means the only one. Over the last year, several residents have come before the Borough’s Public Safety Committee pleading their cases for caution.

“The Borough is lucky to have someone with that level of expertise. That said, I came away from our conversation feeling a little discouraged.”

Joe Baker, West Chester resident

A car pauses on Price St. at a newly painting crosswalk. Striping and additional signs were added to encourage vehicles to yield to pedestians.

Surprisingly Few Answers

It started on Price St. at the intersection with S. Brandywine St. Then there was the Bradford Ave. and Gay St intersection, and, coming soon, E. Virginia Ave. at N. Franklin St. and N. Matlack St., and Price St. at Darlington St. However, despite the passionate pleas by parents fearing for the safety of their children and the seemingly endless tales of near misses, the results, or lack thereof, can be frustrating for residents.

Joe recently shared his and his neighbors’ concerns about their E. Virginia neighborhood with West Chester Police. While Sergeant Jason Malicki listened and seemed well-versed on the topic, solutions were few.

“The Borough is lucky to have someone with that level of expertise,” said Joe. “That said, I came away from our conversation feeling a little discouraged.”

Residents had hoped to lower the speed limit to 15 mph, add signage in the area, and maybe even consider speed bumps. “We discussed a number of ideas, but it sounds like most of them are either not feasible or not advisable under current conditions,” Joe said.

PennDOT weighs in

The Price St. crew lobbied for a stop sign at the Brandywine intersection, but the intersection didn’t meet PennDOT’s requirements for adding one. A traffic study conducted by Borough engineers found that it did not meet volume requirements for either vehicular or pedestrian traffic, and pedestrian wait times were not nearly long enough.

Per PennDOT’s guidelines, walkers must wait an average of 30 seconds before the state will recommend a stop sign. Parents and neighbors heading to Everhart Park were only waiting 14 seconds before crossing. There were also not enough recorded crashes. (Price St. is a state road, so any changes have to be approved by PennDOT.)

“What it basically boils down to is it is unlikely PennDOT would approve an all-way stop,” Pennoni engineers told Borough Council members last May.

So, residents had to settle for new striping and additional signage. New highlighter yellow crosswalk signs with an arrow have been added to the side of the road. In addition, a “Yield to Pedestrian Crossing” sign now sits in the middle of the intersection. So far, the signs seem to be slowing down traffic, but they are at times confusing. Some drivers come to a complete stop, others slow, and yet others treat it like it’s not even there, making it difficult for pedestrians to know how to approach.

Still, it’s an improvement. “We haven’t done a follow-up study, but we have gotten good feedback from residents,” Pennoni engineers told the Borough’s Public Works Committee earlier this month.

What’s next

Next up, the Borough will investigate intersection safety at W. Gay St. and Bradford Ave.

“We moved to DeBaptise Lane last year and my kids started going to Hillsdale,” said West Chester resident Kyle Hudson, who first brought the intersection to Council’s attention earlier this year. “That crosswalk there is really dangerous. With the new development and changing traffic patterns (plus people looking at their phones and being half awake), it’s a disaster waiting to happen,” he said.

As for Joe, he’s not giving up yet.

“My current plan is to press for lowering the speed limit—something the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code appears to allow with the support of a traffic study—and to encourage Borough leadership to explore ways to improve traffic flow on E. Marshall Street to reduce cut-through traffic,” he shared in an email this week.

He will get a chance to share his research and suggestions at an upcoming Public Safety Committee meeting, where hopefully he’ll get that traffic study – but if the only options in the traffic calming playbook are additional striping and warning signage, concerns around safety are sure to persist.

“I know how this sounds—and I would much rather not be the neighbor pointing out traffic violations,” said Joe. “But at some point, someone has to speak up.”

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