New Truck Inspection Station in Planning Stages

Truck traffic has reached such a crescendo in Upper Macungie Township that the chief of police is determined to start alleviating part of the problem.

Upper Macungie Township Police Chief Edgardo Colon told supervisors Thursday night that construction of a truck inspection site on Schantz Road, west of Route 100, is in the planning stages.

"There is an enormous amount of commercial vehicle traffic in the township," Colon said. "The traffic unit is very active with that."

Colon said building a site where trucks can be inspected on a spot basis would be safer for officers.

"It would allow officers from this police department, and others, to safely inspect commercial motor vehicles," he said. "We could use it as a sobriety checkpoint as well."

Colon said he will be meeting with representatives of state police, South Whitehall police, Emmaus police and Salisbury police concerning this idea, which he termed as being in the planning stages. 

"We'll seek federal grant monies and the assistance of business leaders in the community," Colon said, addressing the financial aspect of the project.

Keystone Consulting Engineers traffic engineer Scott Stenroos is currently examining an exact location for the inspection station.

"It's something that's coming," Colon said, adding that trucks that do not pass a truck inspection will be towed from the inspection site.