CONNOQUENESSING - Despite requests by borough council members, the state Department of Transportation has concluded that a speed limit reduction on Route 68 in the borough is not justified.

The decision, which is based on the department's own engineering and traffic study, factored crash analysis, sight distance and speed data into its conclusion.

But after a deadly three-car accident in March, council members began to question the posted speed limit on the road near Constitution Avenue.

The March 9 accident, which killed one driver and injured two others, happened as the driver entered the opposite lane to pass at least one vehicle and crashed head-on into a garbage truck, causing the car to catch fire.

"The volume of traffic has increased dramatically on Route 68," said councilwoman Maureen Cavanaugh-Brown.

Because of that increase, she said, it has become difficult to turn onto the street.

"The only time traffic slows down is when school is getting out," she said.

Although unable to cite the specific reason for the denial or release the study, PennDOT spokesman Jim Struzzi said the requirements for a reduction were not met in the study. Additionally, he said a reduction in the speed limit would not have prevented previous accidents.

"If people don't obey the speed limit," he said, "a reduction of the speed limit won't change that."

Council requested the study in August 2002, but the reduction was denied. The area was restudied again in May, but PennDOT said again a reduction was not justified.

In a May 20 letter, however, PennDOT said it could restudy the area in the future, but only if "the conditions should change significantly."

Cavanaugh-Brown said traffic accidents, such as the one in March, are caused by a combination of speeding and trucks stopping.

"You have people on Route 68 that, if you're making a right hand turn, pass you without slowing down," she said.

Cavanaugh-Brown suggested PennDOT should post limits in Connoquenessing similar to those in other boroughs on Route 68.

Struzzi said, however, other options such as increased enforcement through the borough might be a better solution.

"If someone wants to pass someone, reducing the speed limit is not going to stop that," Struzzi said.

Mayor Vaughn Bicehouse said he agrees with Cavanaugh-Brown: "The speed limit definitely needs lowered."

Bicehouse said in the past 10 years the road become more dangerous as traffic has doubled or tripled.

"That (fatal accident) is just the latest of many," he said of the one on March 9. "It's gone on for many years."

And while he agrees speed enforcement may need be strengthened, he said he does not see any value in keeping the current limit because of the amount of traffic on Route 68.