The oft-delayed, continued and rescheduled hearing for warehouses proposed along Weaversville Road by the Rockefeller Group took place Aug. 16 in the auditorium of Northampton Area High School.

A little over 100 people attended, none of whom offered support for the project. In fact, one resident asked for a voice opinion on the project and got an overwhelming “no.”

A public hearing allows the developer to present his proposal in detail and allows residents to ask questions to provide their perspective. Once questions are asked, there is time for public comment. The meeting never got to the last stage.

The process is billed as orderly, but with 100 people, Solicitor Joseph Piperato had to repeatedly ask residents to get to a question and refrain from commentary.

The property eyed for development is a tract of 155 acres behind the FedEx Ground building. The parcel fronts Weaversville Road. The tract is zoned agricultural. Rockefeller wants zoning changed to light commercial. Rockefeller touts this project as a logistics center, where many companies can coordinate their activities to serve the northeast quadrant.

The concern voiced by residents before the meeting is that Weaversville Road cannot support more truck traffic.

Rockefeller was ahead of the curve on the main complaint. Truck traffic from the site will travel a specified route. A new road into the site, Radar Road - named because there is a radar tower on site - connects to a widened Willowbrook Road. Race Street, an existing bottleneck, is widened to four lanes. And Airport Road includes a truck lane for access to Route 22.

Bottom line is no trucks are allowed on Weaversville Road. All the truck traffic goes to Hanover Township, which opposed the Fed- Ex Ground project and lost.

There was a discussion about allowing employee vehicles to access Weaversville Road, but the decision would be up to East Allen Township when a plan is presented under the land development process. Rockefeller indicated it would be interested in making improvements in Weaversville if it could be an employee-only access point.

Residents also expressed concern about vehicles turning right on Willowbrook Road and heading north to Route 329. Clark Machemer, senior vice president and development manager for Rockefeller, said traffic controls would be implemented to prevent that from happening.

However, Rockefeller’s traffic map shows an improvement scheduled for Bullshead Road, south of Catasauqua High School. According to Machemer, this was an improvement to benefit school children and their parents. There is a bridge near the intersection that cannot, at this time, support truck traffic.

In his presentation, Machemer indicated 2,500 jobs would be created. Those who follow this project say they have heard varying numbers.

There were numerous questions about the traffic study and why it was not available for review. The traffic study is 768 pages long and is a public document. It has been analyzed by numerous traffic consultants, including one retained by Hanover Township.

The traffic study does not analyze the impact of traffic on Route 22. In its presentation before Hanover Township, Rockefeller indicated the state would not permit an impact study on Route 22 because improvements are planned.

Based on the number of trips estimated, the roads, as enhanced, can carry the additional traffic.

Allen Township Board of Supervisors has adopted legislation limiting the number of trucks allowed on the roads.

Paula McKee asked a question of J. Michael Dowd, who heads the Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority.

“I understand that the deal with Rockefeller saved your bacon,” she said.

Dowd responded: “We have a measure of financial stability going forward because of these projects, but I was not on the board when the authority had problems.”

Now that FedEx Ground is in place, the best use of the land, according to Rockefeller Group, is light commercial, not agricultural.

East Allen Township resident Jeanette Frack noted Rockefeller did not address traffic from proposed warehouses along Route 329 in East Allen Township, Allen Township warehouse proposals near Miller Supply Ace Hardware and commercial development on airport property in Hanover Township. That traffic study is a regional view under the control of Lehigh Valley Planning Commission.

The hearing is continued to 6:30 p.m. Sept. 21 in the NAHS auditorium.