Politics & Government

Radnor Trying to Calm Traffic on South Wayne Avenue

A plan at the intersection at Windermere calls for South Wayne traffic to come to a complete stop there.

Radnor Township is considering traffic calming measures for a road in Wayne that may bring stillness to nearby residents but could cause traffic backups.

Residents along South Wayne Avenue, a heavily-traveled, state-owned road, say the options from the township and from PennDOT, however imperfect, will make a difference to them in slowing down car traffic.

On Monday Radnor’s Board of Commissioners voted to authorize engineering and traffic study work for South Wayne Avenue.

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A mountable curb and concrete island that will be installed at South Wayne Avenue and Conestoga Road is a more permanent version of the reflective white plastic delineator poles there now.

Proposed crosswalks with ADA-complaint curb ramps at the intersections of South Wayne and Audubon and Pembroke avenues also aim to show traffic and allow residents to walk safely.

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But, most notably, a few variations of a plan at the intersection of South Wayne and Windermere avenues call for traffic to come to complete stops there.

Township officials say the intersection is “wide,” “unmarked” and “uncontrolled.”

Options (shown in the photos section of this article) include one that does not allow cars traveling from Windermere to make a left onto south-bound South Wayne and one that does allow it.

But a marked island would require those travelling north on South Wayne to have to stop and negotiate with cars coming from Windermere.

Currently, cars on South Wayne have the right of way and those coming in from Windermere yield before turning onto the road.

“None of us think it’s ideal,” said Martin Heldring of Audubon Avenue. But, “I feel fortunate PennDOT has reacted to our request for calming measures.”

Backups, a few neighbors said, was preferable to cars whizzing by.

The plan that includes a left-turn lane seemed “very awkward,” said Steve Norcini, director of public works for the township.

A traffic study will be done for the intersection due to the concern by officials that proposed changes would cause traffic to stack.


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