Whereas the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is considering expansion of the southernmost 9.5 miles to four lanes with construction of high-speed, limited access bypasses around the village of Chatham and the Borough of Avondale to accommodate projected future congestion;

Whereas this proposed expansion of Route 41 can be expected to create between 40% and 60% excess vehicle carrying capacity which could trigger direct and indirect impacts, inducing additional traffic, speed, and growth, accelerating sprawling land development, and degrading the quality of air, water, and land throughout this mostly rural region;

Whereas the community around Route 41 in Southern Chester County is a mostly rural area recognized by the American Farmland Trust and others as having some of the richest soils in the country, supporting one of the county's largest industries, agriculture;

Whereas the American Farmland Trust states Chester, Lancaster, and five other counties are the second most threatened agricultural region in the United States;

Whereas the community around Route 41 has been the focus of intensive efforts by private land trusts such as the Brandywine Conservancy to protect open space through donation of conservation easements, reinforced by state and county agricultural easement purchases, all of which now represents thousands of acres involving millions of dollars;

Whereas adding more than twice the existing capacity to PA 41 would only serve to catalyze sprawl and loss of open space, and serve to induce additional traffic on the surrounding local roads;

Whereas Chester County’s nationally award-winning comprehensive plan, Landscapes, designates that the Route 41 corridor remain "Rural" with "Rural Centers" in future growth plans, and that "the development of new highways which stimulate development in the Rural and Natural Landscapes areas be discouraged;"

Whereas in an effort to protect the outstanding values that characterize the Route 41 community, a comprehensive two-lane traffic calmed plan has been proposed for the entire 22.219 mile roadway to vastly improve safety, congestion and infrastructure needs of the roadway while minimizing direct and indirect environmental impact;

Therefore let it be resolved that East Marlborough Township joins others in stating its preference for the two-lane alternative that has been proposed due to its comprehensive and sustainable nature, the reduced financial costs, and the minimal environmental disturbance.

Resolved and enacted the 8th day of September 2003 by:

East Marlborough Board of Supervisors