Middlesex Township

MIDDLESEX TWP — Middlesex and Penn townships are teaming up to submit an Automated Red Light Enforcement Grant application for a proposed new traffic light at the intersection of Route 8 and Brownsdale Road, located on the border between the two townships.

The Middlesex Township board of supervisors approved a motion at their meeting on Wednesday, April 16, to commission local engineering firm Herbert, Rowland & Grubic to submit a pre-application “scoping form,” which is part of the funding process.

According to township supervisor Jeffrey Winkle, it was Penn Township who initiated the conversations to raise funds for a new traffic signal at the busy intersection.

“We were approached by Penn Township,” Winkle said. “And since it is right on the border, they approached us about sharing responsibilities if possible. They’ve had a number of crashes there, and they just look as it as a busy intersection that needs to be reviewed.”

At their own meeting on Tuesday, April 8, the Penn Township board of supervisors approved an identical motion.

“The Middlesex-Penn Township line runs through the middle of this intersection,” said Penn Township supervisor Samuel Ward. “Middlesex and Penn Township are equally responsible for constructing and maintaining the proposed new traffic light at this intersection.”

According to Ward, the intersection is a target for improvement due to “...high cross traffic from Church (Road) and especially from Brownsdale Road trying to get on, or crossing Route 8.”

Penn Township has had success with the Automated Red Light Enforcement grant in the past. In late 2022, the township received roughly $450,000 from such a grant, which allowed it to replace a traffic signal at the intersection of Route 8 and Airport Road.

The Automated Red Light Enforcement grant is a Pennsylvania grant program which redistributes fines collected from red light cameras in Pennsylvania.