Sellersville restricts truck traffic on North Branch Street

Sellersville is putting the brakes on what town officials say is unsafe truck traffic on a street in the Upper Bucks borough.

On Oct. 8, borough council voted to approve an ordinance that restricts certain truck traffic on North Branch Street between Maple Avenue and Elm Street.

“This is a new restriction for this street, and it is permanent,” said Borough Manager David Rivet.

According to Rivet, the restriction prohibits truck-tractor combinations with a width exceeding 102 inches on the span of N. Branch Street. Also barred is any vehicle or other tractor, trailer, or tractor-trailer combination with a combined length in excess of 28 ½ feet, Rivet said.

“North Branch Street has been used by these trucks as a cutoff from Maple Avenue to N. Main Street for southbound vehicles,” the township manager said. “North Branch Street is narrow and not conducive to large truck-trailer combinations. To connect to North Main Street, they then have to turn onto West Walnut Street, Elm Street, both of which are too tight a turn for these vehicles. Or, they have to exit using the fire department’s parking lot.”

That’s not a desirable situation, Rivet said. The preferred route the new restriction will help compel will be safer and allow for better traffic flow, he said.

“The route they need to take is to continue on Maple Avenue to Temple Avenue and then turn at the light at Temple and North Main Street,” Rivet said.