The speed limit will be lowered on West Washington Street by Marilla Reservoir — a spot notorious for having several automobile crashes in recent years.
Bradford Township Police Chief Robb Shipman made the announcement at Tuesday’s Bradford Township supervisors meeting that the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation agreed to lower the speed limit in the area near the reservoir from 55 to 45 mph.
Despite the change, Shipman is disappointed the speed limit wasn’t lowered even more — or for a longer stretch of road.
“It’s still 55 (mph) through the curves where we just had an accident again,” he said, explaining that the 45 mph zone stops at the end of the reservoir.
Shipman added, “We were hoping for 35 all the way to the township line.”
In other news, Shipman said paving is coming soon to streets including Owens Way, South Avenue, High Street and West Corydon Street, and he asked motorists to “be mindful” and “patient” of work crews in those areas.
Fines for traffic violations are doubled in active work zones, Shipman noted.
Supervisors and residents discussed at length a recent township sewer project, as well as how local law affects Airbnb sites.
Supervisors were considering multiple change orders and requests for payment from Chivers Construction Co. for an Owens Way Sewer Project.
However, after discussing asserted issues with the quality of the project, supervisors agreed to hold all payment until engineer Roy Pedersen could research the issues and meet with the Chivers about it.
Supervisor Steve Mascho asked contractor Bob Cummins to look at the project as a whole, who agreed, giving his own time to the matter. Mascho and Cummins looked at manholes Chivers did work on and took several photos of them, allegedly problems with the finished manholes.
Linda Devlin, executive director of the Allegheny National Forest Visitors Bureau, attended with Kimberly and Shannon Weikert to discuss a property at 449 W. Washington St. that they rent out on Airbnb. Kimberly Weikert is the operator of the rental.
The township recently posted a sign at the home declaring it “unsafe for human occupancy or use” because it hadn’t been inspected.
Devlin explained the property is classified as a short-term rental, which is a relatively new term that she said is not addressed in the township’s existing zoning code. The township was trying to apply those codes to the short-term rental — something the commonwealth courts have called an abuse of discretion, according to Devlin.
Supervisor Gayle Bauer suggested the township’s attorney look into the matter.
“Let’s do it the right way,” said Mascho, who was in agreement with Bauer on the matter. “We’re not saying yes or no.”
Kimberly Weikert stressed after the meeting that she has no intention of being a poor neighbor or community member and even put a fence up between the house and the neighboring house to make it more private.
Also at the meeting, supervisors approved a commercial services agreement with Atlantic Broadband for the township’s phone and internet service. According to the supervisors, the move will cut the cost to the township significantly, and the quality will be better.
It will drop the current phone service from AT&T at $9,820 annually to $5,194.20 with Atlantic Broadband.
They also passed a motion to begin processing delinquent garbage and sewer accounts through Creditech Collection Solutions rather than going to an attorney, as it will cost about half as much.
Supervisors will meet next at 7 p.m. Oct. 8.
