Allen Township officials announced at the board of supervisors meeting July 14 that Pennsylvania State Police will patrol Bullshead and Willowbrook roads to ensure bicyclists riding in the lanes designated for their use are safe and the lanes are free of parked vehicles.

Township Manager Ilene Eckhart said she and Supervisors Vice Chairman Dale Hassler sat down with state police in order to come up with a plan that would provide safety for the bicyclists and the motoring public.

The supervisors are worried those riding bikes are forced more out onto the road because of vehicles parked in the lanes.

Since Allen Township has no full- or part-time police department, the task goes to state police; however, state police were not in agreement to enforce a township ordinance banning vehicle parking, including writing tickets, on these above sections of roads, where motorists park in bike lanes while at sport events on the nearby Catasauqua Area High School fields.

The township then sought Northampton Borough’s cooperation. Township supervisors also said the borough could even retain the fines collected by police.

Supervisors noted Northampton Borough officials were not interested in entering the limited intermunicipal pact.

Eckhart and Hassler said state police still will not have any involvement with the township ordinance but will enforce the state’s vehicle code that prohibits vehicles parking in the public roadway, thus viewed as a positive step and a remedy to the problem.

When there are such violations, state police are to be summoned. The public also can register such complaints.

“I could attest that [the state police] response was very good,” Hassler said.

Hassler added the township will not attempt to pursue additional agreements with North Catasauqua or Catasauqua boroughs regarding controlling the no-parking zones.