Representatives from several local municipalities gathered at North Catasauqua Borough Hall Dec. 6 for their second meeting regarding FedEx Ground truck traffic in the area.

Catasauqua, North Catasauqua and Northampton boroughs and East Allen and Hanover (Lehigh County) townships have all felt the effects of the massive surge in truck traffic since FedEx Ground officially opened its massive shipping facility on Willowbrook Road in Allen Township last November.

Traffic studies conducted by FedEx’s engineers, before the facility’s construction, claimed the roads in the surrounding municipalities would not be affected. However, the governments of the above-mentioned municipalities had strong doubts about that, and now it is clear they were right to be skeptical.

FedEx Ground truck drivers are independent contractors and use their own GPS devices to navigate between the shipping center and their destinations. This frequently leads to large tandem trucks taking shortcuts through residential areas or narrow streets where they can easily get stuck or take out signs and guardrails. This causes major traffic disruptions and many other attendant costs in any borough or township through which these trucks travel.

Northampton Borough has had to replace the same sign on Willowbrook Road numerous times in the past year, reportedly due to the FedEx Ground trucks.

Residents on Howertown Road in Catasauqua and North Catasauqua have reported trucks speeding past their homes between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. Chris Wolfer, North Catasauqua interim police chief, said his officers have not caught any truckers driving over the speed limit in the borough but admits the size and noise of the vehicles may give the impression of speeding.

Trucks on Howertown Road prove to be much more of a problem in the daytime. It’s been reported trucks have gotten stuck at the intersection of Howertown Road and Grove Street more than once and have caused extended traffic delays.

Despite not facing the same exact issues, the above-mentioned municipalities have decided to pool their resources to address the problems before they get worse.

Victor Rodite, Northampton Borough community planner, clarified they are not intending to be an aggressive group, and they understand the challenges of dealing with the drivers who are not acting under the direct order of FedEx.

Attempts have been made to contact FedEx administration - they were invited to both meetings - but there has so far been no response. Without help from FedEx Ground, the municipalities will form a joint police task force to address the trucks themselves.

The municipalities hope to acquire certification for roadside truck inspections, giving them a better way to enforce truck restrictions. Maintaining that certification requires a minimum number of inspections per month, and it is not a figure any one of these municipalities could hit alone.

Assistance from the Pennsylvania State Police would further simplify things because a state police inspector would not need special jurisdiction to cover all municipalities in the task force.

The group will meet again 10 a.m. Jan. 13, 2020, at Catasauqua Borough Municipal Complex, 90 Bridge St.