WARMINSTER TOWNSHIP COMPREHENSIVE PLAN - E-Library

5ITransportationRoute 202 BypassThe most significant transportation project to affect the borough will not be in the borough itseif. TheUS 202 Section 700 improvement project calls for a new alignment between Montgomeryville andDoylestown and is projected to relieve some of the traffic congestion caused by traffic that passesthrough the borough along Butler Pike. The proposal has been approved by PennDOT and now isbeing considered for funding by the Federal Highway Administration.The environmental impact statement for the project contains a traffic study which indicates that if theexpressway is not constructed, traffic on Butler Pike between Main Street and Limekiln Pike and iMainStreet between Butler Pike and Sunset Avenue will rise 30 and 45 percent respectively by 2018. A newexpressway will reduce the traffic on Butler Pike by 12 percent below existing levels and limitincreases on Main Street to only 24 percent over existing levels by 2018. The proposed expresswaywould clearly reduce congestion along Butler Pike and Main Street but traffic on Main Street wouldcontinue to grow albeit at a slower rate.Public TransportationThe Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) maintains daily scheduled trainservice on the R-5 Lansdale-Doylestown regional rail line that runs through the borough. The linepasses through Chalfont on its route southward from Doylestown to Philadelphia and then onwestward to Paoli. The borough has demonstrated a commitment to rail operations by recentlypurchasing the train station building. A 1991 ridership study indicated that almost 200 people use thetrain at the Chalfont train station on a daily basis during the week. Closure of other nearby stations duelow ridership, such as New Britain, has been discussed. Parking is an issue at the Chalfont station lotbecause it has only 50 spaces and there is no room to expand. The borough roadmaster stated thatillegal parking takes place along Sunset Avenue because of insufficient parking in the lot.' If a nearbystation is closed, parking need and ridership will likely increase in Chalfont and exacerbate existingproblems. To promote rail use the borough could provide extra parlung near the train.IOther forms of public transportation include Bucks County Transport, Inc., a private, nonprofittransportation agency, which provides on-demand services to those over 65 years of age or those onmedical assistance. The Doylestown Cab Company provides taxi service to the central Bucks area.Park & Ride LotsPark & ride lots are off-street parking areas where drivers may park one vehicle to transfer to anothervehicle for ridesharing. Such facilities are practical alternatives to help combat congestion on the roads.Park & ride lots serve van pools, car pools, or public transit vehicles. For most users, employmentcenters are the usual destination.There are no park & ride lots currently located in Chalfont or nearby. If any of the nearby train stationsare closed, a park & ride facility should be considered at or near the Chalfont train station to' Telephone interview with Mike Bishop, Chalfont Borough Roadmastcr, February 5, 1997.Chalfonr Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft 35