SANATOGA PA – Talks are continuing between Lower Pottsgrove and Limerick (PA) townships on how best to coordinate their needs, desires, and dreams for the future of commercial development at the Sanatoga interchange of U.S. Route 422.
The neighboring municipalities agreed last May (2009) to collaborate on a master plan for land use surrounding the interchange, which is divided by the townships’ common boundary. Their staffs and selected elected officials have met several times since, most recently in mid-January (2010), according to Lower Pottsgrove Commissioner Michael McGroarty.
Apparently, not everyone's pleased by the pace of development in Limerick Township. A new entrance marker on its border with Upper Providence sported a hand-made sign Sunday (Jan. 31, 2010) that proclaimed Limerick as the "home of suburban sprawl and overdevelopment."
“We’re both working toward the same goal,” McGroarty observed during the Lower Pottsgrove Board of Commissioners’ Jan. 21 meeting at the municipal building, 2199 Buchert Rd., Pottstown PA. “I’m impressed that we’re doing the right kinds of things cooperatively.”
“It’s not an agreement that’s fallen by the wayside,” Commissioner James Phillips said of the master plan, but with a first-of-the-year change in politicians in both townships he noted it is taking more time to bring those new to the joint committee up to speed. “The first step is really getting our arms around the problems we’re facing there.”
A huge amount of commercial and residential growth is expected at the interchange in coming years. To accommodate it, the municipalities anticipate costs in the tens of millions of dollars to re-work the highway’s exit ramps, widen existing roads, create a feeder or frontage road system, and install traffic control systems there. Creation of the master plan is seen in part as a way to attract federal funding for those projects.
Phillips characterized the master plan as “one of the biggest initiatives Lower Pottsgrove’s ever going to undertake.”
Limerick in December (2009) gave its approval to development on the interchange’s southeast side of the first phase of what is now called “The Gateway At Sanatoga,” formerly known as “Sanatoga Springs.” A Costco warehouse store, three restaurants, and a bank are expected to be constructed there, possibly beginning this spring.
Related (to Sanatoga interchange development):
- Costco Approved Without Traffic Improvements (WhatsThe422.com)
- Sanatoga Gateway Endorsed By Limerick Planners (WhatsThe422.com)
- Sanatoga Project Faces Limerick Zoning Decisions
- Sanatoga Shopping Project On Limerick Zoning Agenda
- More Web Searches Seek ‘Sanatoga Springs’
- Board Approves Interchange Mapping Costs
- Sanatoga Springs Promotion In Flux
- Townships Agree To Interchange Planning
- Township Interviews For ‘Bigger Picture’
- Missing Walks Latest Bridge Complaint
- Trying, Trying Again At The Interchange
- Just One Speaker At Sanatoga Springs Hearing
- The Overlooked Users Of Sanatoga Springs
- County Suggests Cooperation On Sanatoga Springs
- Improving The Odds At The Interchange
- More About … Sanatoga Springs (No. 1 In A Series)
- Trial Balloon: An Inter-Municipal Agreement
- Lobbyists Court Lower Pottsgrove
- A New Arrival In “Sanatoga Springs”
Related (to the Lower Pottsgrove Board of Commissioners’ Jan. 21 meeting):
- Waiting, Waiting, Waiting For Light To Turn
- Sunnybrook Sign Money Awaits Hearing, Paperwork
- Township May Turn Off Some Street Lights
- Township Commissioners’ Meeting Tonight
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Please Limerick, put a moratorium on new commercial buildings. Where are the farms?? Many of us grew up or moved here years ago to get away from areas that they have created. Ridge Pike is now becoming the new “Baltimore Pike” in Springfield, Delaware County. No one wants that. As far as Costco, unless they put in a separate exit/overpass for that developement, I’m going to need a landing strip to get to my home,as I have to use the Sanatoga exit to get home. It’s shameful that it took me 2 hours to get home the eve of Black Friday just because of the mall traffic. That is not fair to any of the residents of Sanatoga, but then, no one apparently gave that a care since it was all about tax money. I’m glad the two affected townships are now discussing this, but why not before this mess already happened. Now more big stores and non-stop Costco traffic? It just not fair to us residents.
So where is Lower’s share of the pot of gold for this COSTCO site. You know we will be impacted as the roadways are in Lower as well..
Spread some of that schmear our way!!!!