At its regular meeting Feb. 14, East Allen Township Board of Supervisors listened to options for rebuilding Monocacy Drive. The residential road is reportedly in poor shape. With a couple of supervisors within eyesight of the road, it is getting scrutiny.

The challenge outlined by township Engineer James Milot is that the substructure is in bad shape.

“We could mill the existing surface and pave over the road to make it nice and smooth, but we can’t predict when it will need to be reworked,” he said. “The other option is to rebuild the subsurface and then pave the road.”

If crews rebuild the base, it provides a sound paving surface. Public works supports an improvement, contending that it digs up portions of the road while snow plowing.

The constraint is the cost of the project. Paving the road with the existing base is estimated to use all street funds budgeted for the year. Improving the base and paving will consume all the street funds for this year and next year.

“I hate spending all of our street improvement funds for two years on 1,000 feet of road,” Chairman Roger Unangst said.

A portion of Monocacy Drive has been completed, and the new road improvement would tie into the updated road bed. After some debate, supervisors unanimously voted to rebuild Monocacy Drive from the base-level up. They agreed it would be a two-year project.

“I can watch it and explain to concerned neighbors what is happening,” said Supervisor Georgiann Hunsicker, who lives on Monocacy Drive.

In other business, Milot asked the board for permission to work with Allen Township to conduct a speed study for state roads. According to Milot, there is no cost for the study. If speed limits are changed, the township would be responsible for the cost of new signs. The focus areas are Route 329 and Weaversville Road. Supervisors agreed unanimously to join with Allen Township on the study. As Milot explained, these studies are done only when they are requested. The board wants Milot to investigate expanding the study to include Route 512 and Airport Road. Adjoining municipalities would be asked to join the study.

Residents at Hanover Oaks asked the township for additional lighting in their development.

“There will be more lighting in the area once additional homes are built. The developers could put up temporary lighting. Typically, additional lighting would be a decision by the homeowners association,” Supervisor Mark Schwartz said.

Resident Eric Miller questioned the board about the proposed Jaindl development along Seemsville Road. The developer presented a proposal to Northampton Area School Board Feb. 13. Unangst responded that no presentation is scheduled before East Allen and the planning commission does not have the proposal on its agenda for review.

“We understand that the proposal must eventually come before this board, but we have not seen the proposal,” Unangst said.

The board was in executive session before and after the regular meeting, interviewing candidates for the soon-to-be-vacant township manager position.