Digital Map Will Provide Recreation Information

The Robindale Sunrise Safe Crossing, located on Route 501 (Lititz Pike), has been in place since Dec. 15, 2021. Pedestrians wishing to cross from either Robindale or Sunrise should push the button on the pole to activate yellow flashing lights, which will alert drivers going both directions for the next 25 seconds.

"Look both ways," said Bill Sauers, engineer with Manheim Township. "Proceed with caution. If 25 seconds elapse and you haven't had a chance to cross, press it again and wait for a break in the traffic."

Roy Baldwin, who has been working with the Nonmotorized Pathway Committee on similar projects since the mid-1990s, pointed out the care pedestrians must take when using the crossing. "We need to caution people not to have the false impression that you can just cross the road," he said. "You can't do that. It's not a stop light."

Sauers added that warning signs for drivers have been placed on both sides of the road and that signs will be installed advising pedestrians to look both ways. "It's going to take time for people traveling this highway to adjust," he said.

Sauers said that the crossroad is a primary location for people going to and from Overlook Park. Matt Stopa, director of the Manheim Township Recreation and Park Planning Department, said the area has been an important crossing location, but not one that was easily made safer for pedestrians. "(Lititz Pike) is a state road," he said, noting that PennDOT needed to approve the crossing.

According to Sauers, the crossing was approved a few years ago, and it was designed and bid on by late summer of 2020. "It was delayed (nine months) mainly because of the time to fabricate the poles," explained Sauers, who added that construction began in the summer of 2021, with the final inspection by PennDOT toward the end of the year. Sauers said the township worked with TRG Traffic Consulting from York to get approval. He noted that construction costs were $63,500.

According to Baldwin, the safe crossing is not the only project the Nonmotorized Pathway Committee - a group of volunteers, plus staff, planning, park and recreation, and public works representatives - has been working toward.

"For a number of years, people have asked about mapping for pathways (in Manheim Township)," said Stopa. "We have talked about (creating) digital maps."

Working with GISinc, Stopa is using Esri mapping software to create a digital map of township parks and trails. "These features show the different pathways that are in (Manheim Township)," explained Stopa, displaying a computer graphic. "Go to Community Park, and you can hit zoom. It shows you the size of the park. You can click the trailhead, and it will show you a picture of the trailhead," said Stopa, who showed a graphic of Stoner Park as an example that identified parking. He noted that satellite imagery is included to give a better view of terrain. The map will also include the official bike route.

While the map will give area residents an easy way to identify and locate places to take part in outdoor activities, Stopa is not done. "There are things I want to do yet," he said. "I also want to be able to add pictures of pathways, and I want (viewers) to be able to see the athletic fields and pavilions in the parks." Stopa said the bulk of the work is done, and he hopes to have the map completed by spring. "By summer there will be a link on the website (http://manheimtownship.org)," he said, adding that as technology evolves, the map will gain more features.

Baldwin noted that the Nonmotorized Pathway Committee has completed a number of projects over the last 35 years. "The objective is to link parks, commercial districts, schools, and neighborhoods with nonmotorized paths, and it's like a patchwork quilt," he said. "People don't know about all the paths and walking and biking possibilities that they have (in Manheim Township), so the electronic map is a step forward."

Residents who are interested in joining the committee may contact Baldwin at 717-305-0159 or Manheim Township at 717-569-6408.