Closing the Race Street bridge has proved to be a challenge. To alleviate some of the congestion, Catasauqua Borough Mayor Barbara Schlegel issued an emergency proclamation, effective for seven days, regarding truck traffic. Council met in a special session March 25 to extend the emergency proclamation for an additional 30 days.

The new rules are temporary but were crafted in a special meeting with the mayor, fire and police personnel and Councilman Brian Mc- Kittrick, who chairs the public safety committee. In brief, the emergency directive prohibits large trucks, 30,000 pounds gross weight, from traveling on Poplar Street, Faith Drive and 10th Street between Faith Drive and Race Street.

Pineapple Street from Race Street to Union Street is closed to through-vehicles. There is no parking on Union Street between Pineapple Street and Second Street during working hours.

Homeowners with garages off Pineapple Street can still access garages from Union Street. A suggestion made was to put a no outlet sign at Pineapple and Union streets.

Pineapple Street was blocked at Race Street and the spur off the DnD Market parking lot.

The idea of the emergency proclamation was to put restrictions in place to better control traffic. The proclamation can be extended at will by council, but it is hoped that most people will find a preferred way to get around town and stabilize some of the traffic.

“What we see is traffic that avoids the ‘Road Closed’ sign and then gets to DnD (Market) and either shoots across Race Street when traffic is light or goes up Pineapple,” McKittrick said.

DnD Market came to the meeting prepared with a list of 214 customers who want to see Pineapple Street opened. The store gets a number of customers from the area around Second Street. They use Pineapple Street to get to the store and return home. Council is considering making Pineapple one way.

“Closing Pineapple is working. It is keeping traffic off the street,” Police Chief Douglas Kish said.

The chief reported seeing tractor trailers trying to navigate up Pineapple Street.

The emergency proclamation measure was passed by council, but there are changes suggested. Solicitor Thomas Dinkelacker will take suggestions and incorporate them into a new resolution for the regular meeting April 1. Any suggested changes residents may have should be forwarded to the borough office.

Borough Manager Stephen Travers announced a multimunicipality task force to develop a comprehensive plan. The recommendation is that plans be updated every decade. The present borough plan is 20 years old. The reason most plans do not get updated in mature urban areas is the cost. The plans run around $70,000. With a joint project, the cost is shared among all the participating municipalities. In addition, a comprehensive plan requires that each potential entity is assigned in a zone.

The multimunicipal plan allows entities to be spread among the municipalities. Hanover Township, with its heavy warehouse-based community, can locate high-density commercial applications. North Catasauqua and Catasauqua boroughs can concentrate neighborhood services. The concept provides multiple benefits while each community can maintain its own identity.