Media Borough Council Hears Public Comment Before 3rd St. Project Vote
Media Borough Council held a special meeting to hear the public's opinion once again on the 3rd Street Project before a vote next week.
About 65 people attended a May public hearing on the 3rd Street Project.
Photos (2)
Photos
Media Borough Council held a special meeting Thursday to hear the public's opinion once again on the 3rd Street Project before a vote next week.
The 3rd Street Bridge has been closed for 16 years and for about the last year council has sought public opinion on what to do with the project through numerous public meetings, a citizen's advisory committee and mailed survey to residents. (See a timeline of the project here).
Borough Council President Brian Hall said Thursday council would vote on how to proceed with the project at its May 17 meeting and the point of Thursday's meeting was to hear the public's opinion on the citizen's advisory committee report and survey and provide council with any information they may have not heard before.
"What we want to accomplish here, is that, as of tonight we have heard all that we need to hear about this subject so that when we take our vote next week we'll feel confident that we have all the information that we need in front of us," Hall said.
Hall said at April's council meeting that the decision in May will likely only give very broad direction as to the nature of the project.
About 65 people, from both Media Borough and Upper Providence Township, attended Thursday's meeting and the room was divided on what to do with the 3rd Street Bridge and Dam. No new information, data or research seemed to be provided to council.
There are currently three proposed designs for the project, one that would return it to a roadway, one that would make it a greenway and pedestrian area, and one that would breach or remove the dam entirely.
Several residents spoke in favor of the greenway or breaching the dam and preserving Glen Providence Park.
"We treasurer Glen Providence Park and want to preserve it as a quiet space," Holly Hoffman, a borough resident, said.
Media resident Sue Owens said she supports the removal of the dam and Media has changed since the road was closed 16 years ago. There are more pedestrians and walkers now, she said.
Janet Riddle, of Upper Providence Township, said it would be easier and more convenient to open the roadway to traffic but she is opposed to opening the road again and prefers a greenway for pedestrians.
Several other residents spoke in favor of fixing the dam and bridge and opening it up to traffic once again.
Former Borough Councilman Jim Cunningham said Middletown and Upper Providence townships along with the Rose Tree Media School District have all joined together on the issue in favor of opening the roadway. He also said while volunteering at the polls on Election Day, Media voters continuously asked him when will the bridge be open again.
"Do the best that you can for the greatest amount of people, over the longest period of time," Cunningham said. "Open the bridge and let's get moving on a project that won't cost the citizens a dollar."
A Kirk Lane resident said not having the roadway open has been a nightmare and she is concerned for the safety of her family.
"Safety is more important than trees and shrubbier," the Upper Providence Township woman said. "Please move forward with the agreement already in place."
Jean Kenny and Kurt Jackson, both Upper Providence residents, each said they were in favor of opening the roadway for safety reasons, the impact of new developments in the area and in order for emergency vehicles to have access.
"With the density of the new homes (that have been built in the last 16 years) and cars, there is even more of a need for the road today," Jackson said.
In This article
-
Media Borough City Government Offices
301 N Jackson St, Media, PA -
-
-
-
-
Township of Upper Providence
935 N Providence Rd, Media, PA
-
-
Glen Providence Park
W Third St & Kirk Ln, Media, PA -
Middletown Township Building
27 N Pennell Rd, Media, PA -
Rose Tree Media School District
308 N Olive St, Media, PA
Courtney Elko
1:37 pm on Friday, May 11, 2012
Do you think Borough Council has all the information it needs to make a decision?
Cindy Miller
4:39 am on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
If the Rose Tree Media School Board, the Township Councils of the neighboring communities of Upper Providence and Middletown ALL at their respective recent meetings unanimously - NO dissenting vote(s) - in an unprecented agreement to restore the road - what part of "Don't you uinderstand" is going on with Media Council? So to answer your question YES they certainly have enough information and my mantra is "If it were a perfect world, we wouldn't even be taking the time or space to talk/write about this as the road would be as it was - A ROAD uniting 2 communities with regards to emergency access, school busing issues, Everybody's Hometown convenient shopping and dining access for those of us on the immediate opposite end in Upper Providence. I sincerely hope with all of my being that NO ONE again in the immediate opposite end of said closed bridge in Upper Providence - for example the new Toll Brothers Development, any family or individual on Third, Kirk (Third Street end and down to say Oak Crest) Highland or any of the cul-de-sacs off of it (say down to Morgan) never in a life or death situation need an ambulance or that Rose Tree Fire Company never needs back up fire equipment because -unlike what a few may think - seconds let alone minutes could make a difference.
With the help of Google map, The American Heart Association and someone who knows way more about emergency response time than I ever shall - It is 1.3 miles from Media Fire House to Highland .....
Cindy Miller
5:17 am on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
(continuation of previous message from C Miller) .... Ave and Orange taking 4 minutes by car a little longer by ambulance. It is 1.6 miles using North Orange down Kirk to the vincinity of Oak Crest taking 5 minutes and a few 10ths of a mile more and MORE seconds/minute(s) to Third and the 50+ new homes in the Toll Brothers developement. IF Third Street were open it would be 7/10 of a mile from the Fire House to Kirk & HIghland and approximately 3 minutes. IF a person is in cardiac death/arrest (which is different than a heart attack) and is without CPR, mouth- to- mouth resuscitation, or oxygen a patient's brain begins to die in 4 to 6 minutes If sudden cardiac death occurs outside the hospital setting, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) must begin within four to six minutes and advanced life support measures must begin within eight minutes, to avoid brain death. This last sentence was taken from American Heart Association website and fellow link. And so I say to and subsequently ask Media Council - I have described to you my own personal experience with my then 86 year old aunt - waiting on an ambulance twice in one night - first making a trip to Riddle at 5pm after a bloody fall which rendered 14 staples in her head; bringing her back home by car only to have to call AGAIN at 9pm when she collapsed on the second floor bathroom of our home. Riddle decided to keep her a week after that ER trip! I have used the do you want to divide a community by keeping ....
Cindy Miller
5:21 am on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
(continution of 5:17a message from C Miller) ...the bridge/road closed, how much have you considered the overwhelming traffic on North Orange Street in the last 16 years - have you polled them to see how they might feel if Third Street were open to alleviate some of that traffic? Please don't procrastinate any longer - take the vote and vote to restore the road.
matt
12:05 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
Time to build the bridge..sidewalk for safety of pedestrians
Tony
9:16 am on Thursday, May 17, 2012
It's unbelievable that this bridge has been closed for 16 years. I'd like to see an article investigating how this project has been stalled for so long. The majority of residents in the area want the road reopened to cars. Unfortunately, they're not the people who attend meetings.
Courtney Elko
9:35 am on Thursday, May 17, 2012
Check out this article which gives a very basic timeline of the past 16 years: http://patch.com/A-s00b Be sure to click the "+" at the bottom to expand the timeline events.