By Richard L. Gaw
Staff Writer

A peculiar set of circumstances happened on the way to Kennett Township shoring up plans last week to install a permanent traffic signal at the Five Points intersection.

The township’s Board of Supervisors gave approval at their March 19 meeting to countersign a 25-year-old, previously dormant easement with property owners at the corner of Old Kennett Pike and East Hillendale Road to construct a traffic signal at the edge of their property.  

The construction of the signal in the vicinity will be the township’s third attempt in less than a year. One Sept. 5, 2024, a traffic signal pole came down at the intersection after being hit by a large truck. After being replaced by a used traffic signal pole, the new pole was struck again on Feb. 27 by a large truck and replaced on Feb. 28 with a pedestal-style pole, but on March 6, it was struck by a large truck, leaving its’ foundation severely damaged, which prohibits installation of another pole in the same location. 

The new pole will be located within the limits of the existing easement. 

“Back in 1999-2000, the township determined that a traffic signal was warranted at the intersection, but in order to construct the signal, easements in each of the quintets was required from the adjacent property owners,” said Public Works Director Ted Otteni. “Over that time, the township has had several difficulties with the traffic signal at that respective corner.”

Upon checking to see if an easement exists for that corner, Otteni said that the property owners did sign the easement in 1999, but the township had failed to countersign nor record it in their records.

“It’s been 25 years, and in talking with our solicitor we do have options, but the most forthright option would be to speak directly to these property owners and say that an error was made and ask them if they would be willing to still work with us and honor this easement,” Otteni said. “These gentlemen did.”

Other township business

The board also approved a waterline easement with Chester Water Authority (CWA) for the construction of a waterline extension to serve the Rosedale Walk, a 72-unit single-family development on Rosedale Road that is currently being constructed. The easement will allow the waterline to be extended into the parcel containing the Rosedale Road Pump Station.

Otteni said that the Rosedale Road sanitary sewer pump station does not presently have water service, which had been provided by Kennett Square Borough in the past but after the line broke, the service was subsequently terminated. There is no cost to the township for granting this easement. 

The board also authorized the amendment of an agreement with GKO Architects in the amount of $9,500 to develop additional site alternatives in the effort to maximize use of the township’s Administration Building for use by the administration and the township police department.

In September of 2024, the township entered into an agreement with the architectural firm – in the amount of $37,500 - to develop a feasibility study to guide the township in determining a needs analysis for proper space and function of the building, evaluate alternatives for improvements and identify costs associated with any proposed improvements. Since that time, the firm has been working with township staff to understand the needs of the administration and police and develop additional building options. 

To better utilize the existing township’s property as well as explore alternatives to minimize impacts to the natural features of the property, the additional fee will fund the additional site layout options and floor plans that are currently being explored.

Township Manager Alison Dobbins said that the Brandywine Red Clay Alliance will hold its annual Red Clay Valley Clean-Up on March 29 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. The event annually attracts hundreds of volunteers from local schools and community organizations to clean over 98 miles of roadsides in the Red Clay Creek Watershed in both Chester and New Castle Counties. Volunteers will assemble at either the Ashland Nature Center in Hockessin, Del., Anson B. Nixon Park or the Kennett Area YMCA outdoor pool in Kennett Square. In the history of this event, over 439 tons of trash have been collected. For more information, visit www.brandywineredclay.org.

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email [email protected].