BY MICHAEL HIRSCH

Special to The Press

The South Whitehall Planning Commission has approved a new roller coaster for Dorney Park.

The attraction will be located next to the “Possessed” ride, on the site of the former Stinger roller coaster, which operated from 2011 through 2017, just north of Lincoln Avenue and Dorney Park Road.

At its highest point, the coaster will be approximately 161.67 feet tall, measured from the ground elevation under the attraction.

The project is not expected to affect attendance, traffic, parking or water and sewer usage, and will not increase water and sewer usage/flows. A sewage planning module is not required.

There were several waivers requested by Dorney Park.

“This is a little bit like moving furniture around in your living room,” Attorney Joseph Bubba, representing Dorney Park, said.

Rides have been in this location before and there are no immediately adjacent neighbors.

The last waiver request was regarding improvements along public streets.

Bubba questioned why sidewalks were an issue with the replacement ride in the center of the park.

The township’s most desired location for a possible sidewalk would be approximately 1,500 feet along the northeast side of Hamilton Boulevard from its intersection from Haines Mill Road to the Dorney Park drop off entrance.

There was a plan in showing the location.

The complexity is the property where the sidewalk is proposed is owned by PennDOT.

Coordination will be required between all the parties including South Whitehall, Dorney Park, PennDOT, Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, LANTA, the state Department of Environmental Protect, and the Lehigh Valley County Conservation District.

Township Planner Gregg Adams explained that the applicant, Dorney, would execute an agreement to the both the township and the solicitor’s office providing for sidewalk and funding an escrow account, as agreed upon, before recording the plan to get this project built.