We were taught from a young age that “it’s no use crying over spilled milk,” but I bet the farm that lost nearly 70,000 gallons of products at the Rt. 222/Schaeffer Road roundabout might feel differently.

From the Reading Eagle:

A tractor-trailer hauling nearly 70,000 cartons of milk flipped onto its side Tuesday on Route 222 at the Schaeffer Road roundabout in Maidencreek Township, closing the northbound lane for more than five hours.

The accident happened about 8:45 a.m. as the northbound rig exited the roundabout at Schaeffer Road. No injuries were reported. Schaeffer Road was also closed at the intersection.

Some of the 69,000 milk cartons spilled onto the road and burst, Blandon Deputy Fire Chief Jesiah Newsome said. Fire officials notified the state Department of Environmental Protection as a precaution, Newsome said, noting that streams are nearby, but an environmental cleanup was not deemed to be necessary.

These roads are already too dangerous and are experiencing more accidents with these roundabouts and the existing truck traffic, all of which will be INCREASED should the proposed million-square-foot warehouse be allowed on the 80 acres that runs off that Schaffer Road roundabout.

We have been consistent with our concerns regarding this project and its impact on traffic (among many other factors) since the beginning of this fight:

• Where will the trucks park when not on site? Which roads and parking lots will become dominated by excess tractor-trailer volume?
• Unsafe driving and error-ridden traffic data from the developers could be a fatal mix. It’s already leading to more accidents.
• Are we destined to become the next “high crash corridor?” Our neighbors in the Lehigh Valley are worried about their uptick in warehouses and related traffic, and their square footage isn’t dissimilar to what’s being proposed in our community.
• Oh, but these road signs will solve the problem! I’m no traffic engineer, but if Maidencreek Township’s roads and roundabouts experience a major increase in traffic, with signage saying cars should basically fall behind trucks before passing through a roundabout, how on earth is the road system not going to get quickly overwhelmed?
• The lawyer representing the project thinks we’re “wasting their time“ and has filed lawsuits to prevent us from asking valid questions, which is our right during these proceedings.
• Their traffic data stinks.

This fight is not over. This warehouse has NOT been approved. This process has a long way to go. Please JOIN US in these efforts. ATTEND upcoming meetings: the next one is listed at the top of the page, with other dates here.

Join our FB community here and add your voice, and your energy, to our efforts. We can win this battle.