SOUTH WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. — Traffic around Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom may get better this year.
South Whitehall Board of Commissioners on Wednesday unanimously approved an agreement between the township and Dorney Park to try to address traffic concerns on Hamilton Boulevard near the park.
Dorney Park will now pay the South Whitehall Police Department to send officers to help control traffic during peak dates and times.
“The intent of the new traffic detail is to help assuage the concerns of moving traffic through the intersection and not having a situation where traffic is backing up on [Route] 78, which creates a safety hazard,” Township Manager Tom Petrucci said.
“We feel it's better this year, and we feel that there’s always more work to be done."Dorney Public Relations and Communications Manager Ryan Eldredge
Last July, the traffic delays on Hamilton Boulevard near Dorney Park got so bad that South Whitehall Police Department on Facebook asked residents to avoid the area “due to Dorney Park traffic.”
Dorney Public Relations and Communications Manager Ryan Eldredge said even though attendance has been higher than last year, the park has not seen those same concerns this season.
“We feel it's better this year, and we feel that there’s always more work to be done,” Eldredge said.
The agreement
Dorney Park will pay for up to six officers to provide traffic control services in the area and to two patrol officers in the park.
South Whitehall police officers have patrolled the park before, Petrucci said, but the agreement to contract traffic control officers is new.
Petrucci also said the language of the agreement is “up to six officers” because it is a voluntary assignment for the officers, and fewer than six may agree to it.
Interim South Whitehall Police Chief Stephen Brown said that during peak hours, the officers will make sure visitors are not turning left onto Lincoln Avenue from Hamilton Boulevard, which can cause backups onto Route 78.
Visitors should instead keep driving east, turn around at the “U Turn” sign, then go on the ramp onto Lincoln Avenue, Brown said.
Eldredge said the traffic control officers particularly will be needed right before the park opens and as it is closing.
“They’ll make sure everyone gets out safely and doesn't back out into any roads,” Eldredge said.
Park visitors have at times lined up in front of the gates before the parking lot opens, which can cause traffic to back up onto Hamilton Boulevard, Eldredge said.
Eldredge asked that visitors do not line up until the parking lot opens — an hour before the park opens.
Other improvements near Dorney
There are other safety concerns surrounding the roads near Dorney Park, including a lack of pedestrian infrastructure to allow people to safely walk to the park.
To address that, Dorney Park will construct a sidewalk along Hamilton Boulevard from Haines Mill Road westward to the park entrance.
The park is responsible for designing, planning, installing and paying for the sidewalk, which will run about 1,500 feet — more than a quarter-mile.
Petrucci said the plan for the sidewalk soon will come before the board of commissioners for approval.
The township also got a grant to help fund pedestrian improvements to the intersection of Hamilton Boulevard and Lincoln Avenue.
The grant will fund LED pedestrian signals, extended sidewalks and a landing pad for a new bus stop close to the intersection.
Petrucci said that plan is in the design stages.
