SOUTH COATESVILLE-The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) approved lowering the speed limit on South First Avenue for concerns of public safety.
South Coatesville Chief Kevin Pierce announced the change and warns motorists of the change from 35 mph (miles per hour) to 25 mph. Pierce said the primary reason for the change is “public safety.”
“This stretch of roadway has seen its share of motor vehicle accidents, most of which have been as a result of speeding motorist,” Pierce said.
South First Avenue turns into Youngsburg Road in the area of Newlinville Road and Lower Gap Road. The affected areas include South First Avenue from Modena Road, south to Newlinville Road and Youngsburg Road South to the East Fallowfield Township line, which is just south of Brandford Way.
Pierce noted that for years, the 500 and 600 blocks of South First Avenue has already had a posted limit of 25 mph. However, in recent months, the 100-300 blocks of South First Avenue, which are within the city limit of Coatesville City, have also recently been reduced from 35 mph to 25 mph. Therefore, the speed limit for the entire length of South First Avenue from US Rt. 30 Business (Lincoln Highway) to the East Fallowfield Township line, just north of Buck Run Road, is now 25 mph. This includes the area around the Coatesville Scrap Yard.
PennDOT approved this change due to the fact that South First Avenue is considered a “residential roadway” and 25 mph speed limits are usually reserved for residential roadways. He said although the areas impacted by the change appear to be an industrial area, primarily because of the Coatesville Scrap Yard, there are several residences along the 700 and 800 blocks of South First Avenue as well as along the 1200 block of Youngsburg road, several of which have children and all of which are relatively close to the roadway.
In addition to these residences, there are three churches along this stretch of South First Avenue and Youngsburg Road, one of which has a church parking lot located across the street from the church, which requires parishioners to cross the roadway.
“Over the years, this church has expressed several concerns to South Coatesville Borough officials, as well as to the South Coatesville Police Department, regarding the speed at which motorist are traveling along this stretch of roadway,” Pierce said. “In fact, based on the speed enforcement activity conducted by the South Coatesville Police Department in this area, the average speed in this area was approximately 45-50 mph, with some motorist exceeding 60 mph.”
Pierce said commuters who regularly travel this roadway may be in for a surprise when they notice the new posted speed limit of 25 mph. He recommends that regular commuters allow themselves extra time when traveling on this roadway.
The South Coatesville Police Department will provide motorist a 30-day grace period in which violators of the now posted 25 mph speed limit will be given a verbal or written warning. However, those motorists traveling over the previously posted 35 mph speed limit are still subject to receiving traffic citations for speeding.
South Coatesville police had investigated three separate hit-and-run incidents within 30 days last year. A woman was walking to the scrap yard one evening with her two children in a baby stroller when they were hit by a car on Lower Gap Road. A 5-year-old girl walking with her mother in the early evening was hit by a vehicle in the 700 block of South First Avenue. A 55-year-old pedestrian was walking along Youngsburg Road, south of Brandford Way, when he was hit by a driver who was arrested for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol.
Pierce said that when someone becomes involved in an accident, as the driver, pedestrian, or witness, to stay calm, call 911, if possible try to get a license plate number if it’s a hit and run accident.
“The other important thing to do is to remain at the scene,” Pierce said. “Even if you’re at fault in an accident, the consequences will be far less serious if you remain at the scene.”
Pierce advises drivers to slow down on the roadway as a crucial part of safe driving.
“The faster you drive the more your side vision is diminished, which makes it much easier to miss something or someone in or entering your path of travel,” Pierce said.
He also warns motorists about the dangers of distracted driving. He urges drivers to stay off of their cellphone and to be alert for those sharing the road with motorists.
“Pedestrians, runners and bicyclists can be easily missed even when you are distracted for even a few seconds,” Pierce said, adding that other distractions include eating while driving, reading while driving, putting on make-up or talking with your passengers.
“No matter how good of a driver you think you are, any distraction, however slight, can cause a driver to miss something or someone in or entering their path of travel,” Pierce said. “Stay alert.”
He also has several recommendations for pedestrians, including wearing bright clothing to remain visible to drivers.
He encourages pedestrians to avoid walking on roadways which do not have a sidewalk, if possible. If you must walk on roadways without a sidewalk, walk as far away from the edge of the road as possible. In fact, the Pennsylvania vehicle code requires it. He explained the Pennsylvania vehicle code also requires that if there is a sidewalk, pedestrians are required to use it as opposed to walking on the roadway. This applies even if there is only a sidewalk on one side of the road.
“Also, pedestrians, runners and bicyclist traveling on a roadway should ‘expect’ to see vehicle traffic and are usually on alert for traffic, but vehicle drivers do not always ‘expect’ to see, or be on alert for, pedestrians, runners and bicyclist traveling on the road,” Pierce noted.
Always walk on the left side of the road, facing oncoming traffic, which is also required under the PA vehicle code.
“Not only is it required by law to walk facing traffic, it is much safer,” Pierce said. “This is simply due to the fact that a pedestrian should be able to see vehicle traffic long before the driver of a vehicle may see them.”
Contrary to popular belief that pedestrians always have the right of way, pedestrians crossing or walking on a roadway are required by law to yield to motor vehicles, he explained. The exception would be at a marked pedestrian crosswalk or at an intersection controlled by a traffic light, stop sign or pedestrian signal, he added in which case, the pedestrian would have the right-of-way.
