The Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners, at its workshop Oct. 5, discussed proposed legislation that will set a 35 mph speed limit on Fairmont Avenue, located between Fifth Street and Fullerton Avenue. There are currently no posted speed limit signs on the heavily traveled road.

The Fairmont Avenue speed limit matter was raised at a previous commissioners meeting by a resident asking that speed limit restriction be set for the roadway.

Commissioner Thomas Slonaker expressed safety concerns of pedestrians walking on the street without the benefit of a sidewalk. Slonaker also said he could see drivers still going as fast as 40 and 50 mph should the 35 mph signage go up.

“I was shot down,” Slonaker said, when the issue was discussed three years ago by the board for constructing a sidewalk. Fairmont Avenue had been repaved in recent years, and traffic has increased by large numbers.

Commissioners Vice President Philip Ginder said traffic on Fairmont Avenue will see a further increase when it will be signed as a detour route in the Fullerton Avenue/Route 22 area as road and bridge construction accelerates.

“I’m just looking at it as a safety issue, nothing else,” Slonaker said, adding he knows the problem with walking on streets. “I see it every day.”

“No storm drainage out there. That’s one problem,” township Engineer Frank Clark said of the Fairmont Avenue sidewalk issue.

The township owns a small strip of land along the stretch of road. Topography on the one side of Fairmont Avenue is also a concern.

“This gets more complicated as you look at it,” Clark said.

Commissioners President Linda Snyder said the official vote for Fairmont Avenue speed limit signage will not be held until the November meeting.