Safe Mobility Commission Meeting – August 19, 2026

The Dormont Borough Safe Mobility Commission (SMC) met on August 19, 2026, at 6:00 PM, according to the supplied record. Note: the source agenda and transcript are dated October 21, 2025; the date used in this summary follows the supplied official date. The commission approved minutes, heard resident testimony about a child being struck in a crosswalk, and advanced crosswalk, stop-sign, and active transportation planning items.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the September 2025 meeting minutes by voice vote; the motion was seconded and all members voted in favor.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Will Dodds and Alison Hannon, of 1449 Alabama Avenue, reported that their child was hit by a car in the crosswalk at Hillsdale and West Liberty while the walk signal was on. The child was not injured. They were about two-thirds through the crosswalk when the car turned left from West Liberty onto Hillsdale; the crash occurred two Tuesdays earlier at about 6:45 p.m., and a police report was filed.
• The family said they support walkability and design improvements, but expressed strong support for more visible police enforcement of traffic violations, stating that in 5.5 years in Dormont they had never seen a driver stopped for a traffic violation. They compared Dormont unfavorably to nearby areas with targeted enforcement signage, flashing crosswalk lights, speed boards, and visible police presence.
• Borough Manager Johnston expressed sympathy, noted that the SMC handles design rather than police enforcement, and recommended that the family raise enforcement with Borough Council at its Monday, November 4 meeting or submit a registered comment to get on the agenda. He also told them PennDOT plans improvements on West Liberty in the next two to three years, so their feedback is important.
• Commission members and residents also discussed design issues: one participant cited data showing that walking parallel to traffic on roads like West Liberty is hazardous, and referenced an SPC road safety audit that highlighted the all-walk signal at Potomac as a successful safety treatment. Another noted close calls at Park, Alabama, and Hillsdale where drivers turn left after seeing a red light without yielding.

Old Business

• Staff reported that the traffic calming policy requested by Lillian had not yet been posted online and would be posted the next day.
• The commission noted that West Liberty speed data had not yet been obtained from SPC or PennDOT; staff planned to forward existing speed sign data and follow up on the request to the Mayor/Police Chief.
• The commission discussed coordinating with the ATP consultant team, Tool. Tool is in the data-compilation/report-drafting phase. The group agreed to set up a virtual one-off meeting with Tool in November, partly because the regular November meeting will be a playground design engagement session.

Agenda Items

• Petitions: No petitions were submitted in the past month. The commission revisited a prior petition regarding the Pierremont and Latonia intersection and discussed whether a stop sign is warranted. Participants noted the mirror street Biltmore, questioned whether more stop signs would change behavior, and proposed painted curb extensions and vinyl delineators to improve sight lines. Staff agreed to ask Gateway traffic engineer Kyle Brown about the scope and cost of a study, and to revisit the issue in December.
• Council Meeting Report: Mark reported that high-visibility crosswalks and the Kelton/Eastmont item were presented at the council voting meeting; council adopted the 2024 Property Maintenance Code and 2018 Fire Code, approved a liquor license transfer, and advanced a zoning code amendment related to commercial signage, which was sent to the county for review. The budget and capital budget process is progressing.
• Dormont/Dwight Safety Improvements: The commission reviewed three maps compiled from its own walk audit and a walking tour with Pat Wright of LTAP. Findings included: lack of sidewalks to intersections, crossings, and bus stops; fast strip-mall entry/exit; speeds above target and poor stopping distance at the pool-to-shopping-center crosswalk; excessively wide roads; a long crossing of Memorial considered lower priority; a two-lane turning movement from Dormont onto Dormont creating double-threat conditions; missing sidewalk on the stadium side of Dwight; high speeds; overly long crossings at Five Points; unmarked crosswalks and parking conflicts around the future playground; and a dangerous curve with one-way driving. Pat Wright also noted that signage along Dormont near the pool is poorly located or not consistent with current guidance. The commission agreed to send these notes to Gateway and ask about required studies for uncontrolled crosswalks before the first playground phase opens next year.
• Intersection Memo to Borough Council: The commission worked on a one-page memo with exhibits that would recommend crosswalk best practices borough-wide and show a proposed implementation at a specific intersection, identified as near the high school. The memo is to be included in council packets on Friday and presented at the Monday committee meeting, for Borough Council consideration in November. Members discussed possible budget effects, including a curb ramp adjustment if painted line changes require it, and inclusion of vinyl delineators/pedestrian channelization devices.
• ATP Coordination: See Old Business; a November virtual meeting with Tool will be scheduled.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the September 2025 meeting minutes unanimously.
• Directed that the traffic calming policy be posted online the next day.
• Agreed to prepare and deliver the one-page intersection/crosswalk best-practices memo to Borough Council for its November meeting.
• Agreed to schedule a virtual ATP coordination meeting with Tool in November.
• Agreed to consult Gateway about a stop-sign study for Pierremont and Latonia and about uncontrolled-crosswalk study needs for the Dormont/Dwight/playground area, to be revisited in December.
• No new petitions were submitted, and no formal action was taken on the Pierremont/Latonia stop-sign request.