Although the Allen Township Board of Supervisors recently approved a plan that allows FedEx to begin constructing a warehouse facility along Willowbrook Road, the issue is not off the agenda at neighboring Hanover Township council meetings.

At the Sept. 3 Hanover meeting, council members looked at options it might take to maintain the quality of life in the township, given the changes imagined by the increase in traffic that will be generated by the warehouse hub.

International shipping giant FedEx proposed building a one-million square foot warehouse on Allen Township property owned by Lehigh Valley International Airport.

Traffic from the warehouse will pass through to the township as delivery trucks and tractor trailers connect with Route 22.

Hanover officials have long expressed concern that the increased vehicular traffic will affect the quality of life for residents and business owners in the township.

The township's concerns were largely ignored by Allen Township and PennDOT.

Although the council has received letters of support from local residents concerning its desire for obtaining more information on the effects of the development, efforts have not been successful in stopping approval of the project while information is being collected.

Township officials asked for a detailed traffic study of Route 22.

At its last meeting, the council asked township Solicitor Jackson Eaton to draft an amendment to the township's Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (SALDO). Council members want the SALDO to include a requirement that developers provide a comprehensive traffic study for major projects.

"Most communities have a requirement in their SALDO to provide a traffic study for major projects," Eaton told the council. "The need for a traffic study is determined during the planning process."

At the Sept. 3 meeting, the council held a public hearing on the ordinance and unanimously voted to approve the change.

FedEx's proposed road improvements along Hanover's Willowbrook Road are governed by the township.

Race Street and Airport Road, Hanover highways also included in the plan, are controlled as state roads.

The new ordinance mandates required traffic studies when the projected vehicle volume exceeds 500 trips per day.

Council met in executive session to determine if it would file a legal appeal to Allen Township's decision on the FedEx proposal.

They returned to the meeting room without a decision.

Chairman Bruce Paulus proposed that the township invite residents and businesses, particularly along Willowbrook Road, Race Street and Airport Road to a local meeting to discuss problems concerning homeowners and business owners about the FedEx plan.

The meeting is envisioned as an open forum. It is scheduled for Oct. 6.

Township Engineer Frederick Hay also addressed a query from a homeowner in the Allendale area concerning the intersection of Irving Street and the exit, Airport Center Road, from Airport Mall.

The road is often used as an alternate for egress and ingress to the mall.

Based on PennDOT calculations, the intersection only warrants three stop signs.

There is no stop sign for traffic travelling north on Irving street.

The concern is that drivers expect a four-way stop when they exit the mall and there have been near misses at the intersection.

According to Hay, the sight lines meet the Penn-DOT required minimum of 75 feet.

"They are supposed to stop and then move forward to ensure they can see the oncoming traffic," he said. "All of the stop signs are posted with caution signs that say that traffic does not stop."

Council did not take any further action to address the matter.