Gridlock As Dump Trucks Scramble To Load Up With Rock Salt

A mad scramble for road salt ahead of a forecasted major snowstorm caused gridlock in part of Bristol Township and Tullytown Borough on Wednesday and Thursday.

The congestion was mainly on Radcliffe Street in the township and Main Street in the borough as contractors and municipal dump trucks from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware converged on the Riverside Construction and Materials facility.

Tim Kurz, vice president of Silvi Materials, which owns the facility at 7900 North Radcliffe Street, said the influx was driven by a regional salt shortage and word-of-mouth that the company had some salt.

“Everyone is here for salt,” Kurz said, noting that trucks began arriving uninvited and were blocking the company’s own operations, which include a port at the site.

The gridlock paralyzed nearby neighborhoods and disrupted school commutes Thursday morning.

Tullytown Borough Police Chief Nate Aldsworth said multiple officers and fire police were deployed to mitigate the bumper-to-bumper conditions.

“Residents couldn’t get to their homes if they were coming into town or their place of work if they were leaving town,” Aldsworth said. “Children have to get to school on the school buses, and emergency vehicles have to be able to get in and out of town if there’s an emergency or medical issue.”

There were reports of cars turning around to get away from the traffic and vehicles using the opposite lane of travel to escape the gridlock.

The Pennsbury School District warned parents that the congestion could cause delays for bus routes.

While truck traffic is a long-standing complaint for residents on Main and Radcliffe streets, locals said the current volume is unprecedented.

Jen Sroka, a Radcliffe Street resident, said traffic was at a standstill by 7 a.m.

Sroka noted that trucks were crossing the recently reopened Randall Avenue Bridge, which has a posted weight limit of 3.5 tons.

“We had no warning and it has significantly delayed our children getting to school and neighborhood residents getting to work,” Sroka said. “Having the Randall Avenue Bridge reopened, I thought, would help, but the trucks are using the bridge as well.”

The surge in heavy vehicles was seen beyond the Radcliffe and Main streets.

Pre-dawn truck traffic was reportedly heavier than normal on Route 413, the Newtown Bypass, and Route 1. Many of the trucks were heading toward the riverfront complex.

“It’s because of the salt shortage,” said a local municipal official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment. “They’re all going to Silvi to get a load.”

A Bristol Township officials said police were aware of the situation. Police were not immediately available for comment.

The Riverside Construction and Materials and the international port in Falls Township both accept deliveries of rock salt, which often is shipped in from the Middle East and South America.

Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to reflect an error in the spelling of Tim Kurz’s name.