A resident’s comments about traffic congestion created some tension at last week’s Bridgeville Borough Council meeting. The awkwardness was punctuated with an ultimatum delivered to council.
Council president Michael Tolmer seemed exasperated when Bob Fryer—a resident, former council candidate, and traffic engineering enthusiast—criticized the borough’s response to congested roadways, then began tracing the origins of the problem.
Tolmer interrupted Fryer, saying “Bob, Is there any new information that you’re going to give us?”
Undeterred, Fryer continued his presentation. Pointing to the customized, color-coded maps that have become a staple of his public meeting appearances, Fryer began explaining how driving habits in surrounding communities have shifted over the years.
Tolmer quickly cut him off again: “We don’t need a history lesson, Bob. We’ve heard this. We’ve heard all of this.”
It was then that Fryer delivered his ultimatum:
“I’m going to wait 60 days,” he said, “to see if you guys take any definitive action to approach PennDOT and the county to solve the problem once and for all.”
“Okay and 60 days?” Tolmer said. “What’s the catch?”
“I’ll let you know in 60 days,” Fryer said.
Last summer, council implemented a time limit on public comment. Although it is rarely enforced, the measure may have been aimed at shortening Fryer’s monthly traffic analyses.
Bridgeville-area traffic remains wildly unpopular among virtually everybody in Western Pennsylvania:
Hell is sitting in Bridgeville traffic and nobody will ever convince me otherwise
— skiian (@skiiaann) January 11, 2018
I've never drove anywhere that has worse traffic than Bridgeville at rush hour
— Nathan (@__NathanMiller) January 3, 2018
The best thing that happened to day was that my dad drove through Bridgeville rush hour traffic just to get me popsicles and I feel so #blessed
— Noah Kilgus (@MrRubik234) February 13, 2018
You can watch the entire Fryer-Tolmer exchange meeting here, starting at the 6-minute mark: