What to Expect for Romney Rally Event Traffic

Police in Tredyffrin and Radnor townships got about as much advance notice as the press and public that Mitt Romney is coming to town.

Officials of both police departments say they don't expect any major traffic problems and have no plans to close any roads more than briefly as crowds.

One Tredyffrin Police official say the predicted crowd estimate is between 700-800 people, who will flock to Valley Forge Military Academy and college.

Lt. Christopher Flanagan of the Radnor Township Police Department said that there are no plans to shut any roads during the event, scheduled to officially start around 11:30 a.m.  Doors to the event open at 9:30 a.m.

There will be intermittent road closings as Romney’s motorcade approaches and leaves Valley Forge Military Academy and College’s North Wayne campus.

“Nothing is going to be shut down for long-term,” Flanagan said.

One thing that should help ease extra traffic Friday morning:

Aqua Pennsylvania tells Patch the water company is suspending water main construction on Upper Gulph Road in the area of Radnor Road for the day.

No information on the route the presidential candidate is taking was available.

The Radnor and Tredyffrin Township Police Departments are working jointly on coordinating perimeter security and the motorcade detail, Flanagan said.

They are also working with the Secret Service, and will have officers posted around the Valley Forge complex and inside Mellon Hall.

Like the public, the police department was given “less than 24 hours notice,” Flanagan said. Tredyffrin Police Lt. Leon Jaskuta told Patch the same thing Thursday night. He said he was called to a meeting about the event Thursday afternoon.

If you are attending the rally, give yourself plenty of extra time to get to the Valley Forge Military Academy campus.

If you are travelling through Wayne between 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday, you can probably save yourself time by avoiding the roads surrounding the VFMA Campus.