Letter to the editor: Parking is not the problem on Penn Township's Rowe Road

Anyone who read the article “Penn Township examines parking along Rowe Road following house fire on nearby street” (Aug. 15, TribLive) was led to believe that first responders were held up due to parking on the street, and because of this the life of a young girl was put in jeopardy. This is far from the truth.

The entrance to Rowe Road from Route 130 was closed to traffic at the time due to road work. The first responders were forced to detour down Anthony Street.

A vehicle parked on Rowe Road leaves approximately 15 feet of clearance, more than enough for any emergency vehicles. Had Rowe Road been open at the time, there would have been no problem.

Street parking has always been a must for residents. The homes built in the ’50s and ’60s do not provide two- or three-car garages with parking in front. Prohibiting parking would force people to move and park a vehicle numerous times for a trip to the supermarket. Then there are family gatherings. Where do they park?

I believe the township is bringing up the issue of parking again to cover up the real problem: too much traffic and speeding. The township brought this on by letting two large housing developments use Rowe Road as their only access. Maybe instead of drafting a parking ordinance, the commissioners should be drafting a plan to add access for these developments. This would drastically reduce traffic on Rowe, cut down speeding, increase safety and provide alternate routes for residents and emergency vehicles.

Regis Surmacz

Penn Township