Representatives from a growing list of municipalities met once again to discuss truck traffic in the region, particularly from the FedEx Ground hub on Willowbrook Road.

This fourth gathering was held Feb. 3 in East Allen Township.

Northampton Borough Manager LeRoy Brobst, Northampton Police Chief Bryan Kadingo, Catasauqua Mayor Barbara Schlegel and North Catasauqua Mayor William Molchany Jr. were among those in attendance, along with representatives from East Allen and Allen townships and Hanover (Lehigh County).

First on the agenda was the task of sending a police officer to Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) training, which would allow them to stop and fine tractor-trailers for roadside inspection.

In a previous meeting, Catasauqua Police Chief Douglas Kish elected to send a Catasauqua officer for the training. The boroughs of Northampton and North Catasauqua sent letters of recommendation to Pennsylvania Department of Transportation in the hopes of boosting that officer’s chances of acceptance. Kadingo warned that may not be enough.

According to Kadingo, Northampton applied to send an officer through MCSAP training in the past, but PennDOT determined the borough did not have enough truck traffic to warrant the training. Even with the recent increase in traffic, Northampton still has more truck traffic than Catasauqua, so Kadingo said odds are not great for a Catasauqua officer to be approved.

It was reported it may still be worth the effort if PennDOT understands the officer is representing a broader region, spanning several municipalities.

Beyond using an MCSAP-trained officer, local law enforcement is able to stop and fine tractor-trailers depending on the violation. Actually catching trucks breaking the law is proving to be a difficult task, it was mentioned.

Kadingo gave the example of a small bridge in Northampton about which the borough regularly receives complaints for trucks crossing illegally. However, when officers are posted at the site for a few hours, they do not see any infractions. Practically speaking, the police department cannot keep an officer posted at the small bridge all day, so a more reliable deterrent is necessary.

Thanks to a recent change in state law, trucks are allowed to drive on previously restricted roads, so it falls to individual municipalities to make specific restrictions. Those restrictions, however, cannot be made without costly traffic studies. It was noted the concerned municipalities are left with few other options.

Catasauqua Borough Manager Steve Travers said the group plans to take a strategic look at the streets currently being used by FedEx Ground trucks and target those areas with traffic studies. The most common route, however, crosses through multiple municipalities.

“It’s going to be effective if we’re all working together,” Travers said.

Molchany told the group that Whitehall Mayor Michael Harakal Jr. has voiced interest in participating in future meetings on this topic, as Whitehall Township is along the multimunicipal truck route.

Representatives at the meeting suggested monitoring Route 22 and Fullerton Avenue in Whitehall, as that is where most trucks get off the highway and begin their journey through town.

“We know there are problems, but now we need to find some solutions,” Brobst said.

This point was reiterated by Kadingo.

The next meeting will be 10 a.m. March 9 at North Catasauqua Borough Hall, 1066 Fourth St.