Bill McNair of the South Whitehall Planning Commission presented an update to staff and commissioners on PennDOT road projects that will impact the township.

At the April 16 meeting, McNair reported Pennsylvania Act 89 will provide funding for various transportation projects.

"The Tilghman Street-Route 309 interchange is one of our priorities," McNair said. "PennDOT plans to make the lanes long enough for acceleration and deceleration."

Although the road work will be undertaken by PennDOT at a cost of $45 million, South Whitehall will be influenced in the surrounding area, explained township Manager Jon Hammer.

"Streetlights and stormwater issues will all get sucked into it. There will be costs involved for South Whitehall," Hammer said.

McNair noted the Penn-DOT plan to widen Route 22 will impact the township as traffic discharges to local roadways.

He raised the possibility of inaugurating transportation impact fees.

"Suburban and rural townships have impacts from traffic coming through," McNair said. "We are the crossroads of the Lehigh Valley. Penn-DOT is like a developer putting traffic on our roads."

He asked whether staff and commissioners would like to consider a traffic impact study expected to cost $100,000.

"Do we want to be doing traffic studies for PennDOT projects?" Hammer asked.

Commissioner Glenn Block offered a way to move forward.

"Let's reach out to the Pidcock Company," Block said. "Have them come back with a proposal to see what they can do within budget confines."

Commissioners agreed to have McNair sit down with township engineer Ralph Russek of the Pidcock Company to come up with ideas on handling traffic impact issues.